General enshittification of the club?

[JedMaxwell]

We've been getting enshittified since relegation from the Prem in 2013, barring a couple of decent seasons and Wembley visits. It felt like we were pretty upwardly mobile until that point, then we couldn't get to the next level and it's been getting steadily worse ever since.

When I was younger, I remember going to away games at tatty grounds with crackly PA systems and horrible bogs, with dugouts that weren't big enough, and thinking how good we had it at the Madejski. Often the hosts were also pretty impotent on-pitch, compared to us. Now I fear we're one of those clubs.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I think the owners have enough ambition and finance. They are investing £5m in the stadium and are putting in c. £1m a month. Players like Ritchie and Marriot will not have been cheap, and we also beat a host of clubs to sign Ward.

But it seems like they're getting lots of decisions wrong. One Royal has not gone down well, and I think the upcoming casino shirt sponsorship will generate unnecessary controversy. I know it's a nuanced debate, but it's something you can't imagine happening in the SJM era we're all nostalgic for; you'll definitely hear "The Reading Way" mentioned by those against it.

And of course, where they're furthest off is on the pitch. Last years summer transfer window was poor in hindsight, Richardson is not popular and attendances are low. Ultimately, there is no route to recovering our mojo that doesn't involve a good team on the pitch. That will bring fans back and make stadium upgrades and fireworks look in a different light. Perhaps it'll convince people to buy a premium One Royal membership.

I also think they don't understand where the fans are at. It's normal to have X, forums and fancasts be critical, but it's got way beyond that. Away ends, the most hardcore fans, singing "Leam Out", more sensible fan voices such as EPR and TTE have turned and lots of home fans are voting with their feet. STAR seemed pretty unhappy with One Royal.

What advice would I give to Couhig if I was given the chance? Well, not much on day to day operations. Don't fcuk up this summer's transfer window, but does that really need to be said? The main thing would be try harder to show you listen to and respect the fans. We do have some right idiots on X as all clubs do, and they are the most vocal. But fan dissatisfaction runs a lot deeper than that, and at the moment it feels like they view anyone critical as an idiot.

At least if these guys don't see progress within a few years they'll cut their losses, sell and let someone else have a go. With Dai I thought we'd never shake him off, so at least we can be thankful that they forced him out.

[Green]

Earlier in the year when Rob was quite bullish about a new innovative idea that no other club was doing (might not have been his exact words) was he referring to One Royal? Or is there something better to come?

I don’t mind him, but he likes to dress things up, and what he says never meets my expectations.

Lets face it he did anything radical you probably wouldn't like that either. Neither would I.

[katweslowski]

Reading just appointed the very first Head of Artificial Intelligence - whilst making others redundant.

[Marcel]

Reading just appointed the very first Head of Artificial Intelligence - whilst making others redundant.

The clubs a joke.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Reading just appointed the very first Head of Artificial Intelligence - whilst making others redundant.

I think you'll find the Head of AI was appointed a year ago....

And the redundancies are probably due to attempts at process optimisation resulting from AI entification...

[katweslowski]

Reading just appointed the very first Head of Artificial Intelligence - whilst making others redundant.

I think you'll find the Head of AI was appointed a year ago....

And the redundancies are probably due to attempts at process optimisation resulting from AI entification...

Are you the new head of AI?

I was going off a LinkedIn post on it which is dated 2 weeks ago

[Scutterbucketz]

Club shop really is shite.

The range of products is very limited. Where’s all the RFC tat gone?

[Armadillo Roadkill]

I had expected a lot more in terms of match day experience upgrade. We were promised a lot and it just hasn't been delivered.

Add to that the many tedious games, a poor end to the season, a generalised air of pessimism; the vibes aren't great. Even relative optimists like me would agree the jury is out on Richardson.

One Royal is the answer to a question no one was asking.

Last year we lost many of our best players, and their replacements were invariably downgrades.

This summer is a serious opportunity for the re-build to progress. Get the recruitment right, more people through the turnstiles, better atmosphere, more investment in the experience; there is a way out of the enshittifaction we can all clearly see. But it's all still in doubt.

I have renewed my season ticket. There was never any doubt.

[katweslowski]

I had expected a lot more in terms of match day experience upgrade. We were promised a lot and it just hasn't been delivered.

I would say though it's quite harsh to be overly critical of some of this so far. The owners have been in charge for pretty much 12 months, almost to a day. So they had to get the lights turned back on at teh training ground, pay debts probably, fix endless amounts of things which were just broken or forgotten about

So they've barely had a chance to do much that you as a fan would see in your 90 minutes at the ground. They are now installing a brand new pitch which I guess is extremely expensive as I think it was last done 10 years ago. They're also putting in "safe standign" areas at the Club1871 area.

They changed all ticket office windows on the East stand to bar windows so you could get drinks quicker.

They've installed a brand new sound system (which I grant you only works some of the time)

They have had fireworks at multiple games which I know isn't everyone's cup fo tea but occasional visitors and/or kids would probably find them a novelty. That also includes the fire machine things they have.

They also invited all ST fans to the training ground to watch them, and put on free buses to take everyone there. I think that's the first time it's ever been done.

[Millsy]

Not sure what people have been expecting tbh.

Reclining padded seats?
VR enhancement headsets?
Prawn sandwiches delivered by topless staff?
10 different 5 star restaurants on the concourse?
FIreworks before and after every game?
Red arrows for every half time?


Not enough that he's saved the club from ruin and is taking time to sort things out in a sound and sustainable way?

ffs

[Marcel]

Not sure what people have been expecting tbh.

Reclining padded seats?
VR enhancement headsets?
Prawn sandwiches delivered by topless staff?
10 different 5 star restaurants on the concourse?
FIreworks before and after every game?
Red arrows for every half time?


Not enough that he's saved the club from ruin and is taking time to sort things out in a sound and sustainable way?

ffs

Where’s my violin?

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Reading just appointed the very first Head of Artificial Intelligence - whilst making others redundant.

I think you'll find the Head of AI was appointed a year ago....

And the redundancies are probably due to attempts at process optimisation resulting from AI entification...

Are you the new head of AI?

I was going off a LinkedIn post on it which is dated 2 weeks ago

I am not...

There's a YouTube interview with him on the official Reading FC channel from 9 months ago.

https://youtu.be/54nLdzXQOk4?si=iZ29lN8gkdM7HaBF

LI is very slow...

[Clyde1998]

I had expected a lot more in terms of match day experience upgrade. We were promised a lot and it just hasn't been delivered.

I would say though it's quite harsh to be overly critical of some of this so far. The owners have been in charge for pretty much 12 months, almost to a day. So they had to get the lights turned back on at teh training ground, pay debts probably, fix endless amounts of things which were just broken or forgotten about

So they've barely had a chance to do much that you as a fan would see in your 90 minutes at the ground. They are now installing a brand new pitch which I guess is extremely expensive as I think it was last done 10 years ago. They're also putting in "safe standign" areas at the Club1871 area.

They changed all ticket office windows on the East stand to bar windows so you could get drinks quicker.

They've installed a brand new sound system (which I grant you only works some of the time)

They have had fireworks at multiple games which I know isn't everyone's cup fo tea but occasional visitors and/or kids would probably find them a novelty. That also includes the fire machine things they have.

They also invited all ST fans to the training ground to watch them, and put on free buses to take everyone there. I think that's the first time it's ever been done.

There are basic things which should've been done to improve fan experience, which hasn't been done. Things like cleaning the toilets; fixing the taps; replacing faded/damaged/missing signage; ensuring staff are actually knowledgeable; etc. These things have an impact as to whether people would want to return to the stadium and shouldn't cost very much.

Most of what they've done so far in 'improve fan experience' seems to be based on gimmicks or low priority things: the fireworks; safe standing; the training ground visit.

Arguably the only major thing the current owners are doing is relaying the pitch and I believe that was required to be done due to the subsidence and unevenness. If I'm remembering what I was told by a member of the ground staff a couple of years ago correctly, we were having to get special dispensation from the EFL to keep playing on the pitch and we were only getting that due to our ownership situation.

[MR. CYNICAL]

Not sure what people have been expecting tbh.

Reclining padded seats?
VR enhancement headsets?
Prawn sandwiches delivered by topless staff?
10 different 5 star restaurants on the concourse?
FIreworks before and after every game?
Red arrows for every half time?


Not enough that he's saved the club from ruin and is taking time to sort things out in a sound and sustainable way?

ffs

At least someone is happy

[katweslowski]

I am not...

There's a YouTube interview with him on the official Reading FC channel from 9 months ago.

https://youtu.be/54nLdzXQOk4?si=iZ29lN8gkdM7HaBF

LI is very slow...

Thanks - when you said before that this was a while back, I vaguely remember it as it was one of the earlier changes that Couhig made

[katweslowski]

There are basic things which should've been done to improve fan experience, which hasn't been done. Things like cleaning the toilets; fixing the taps; replacing faded/damaged/missing signage; ensuring staff are actually knowledgeable; etc. These things have an impact as to whether people would want to return to the stadium and shouldn't cost very much.

Most of what they've done so far in 'improve fan experience' seems to be based on gimmicks or low priority things: the fireworks; safe standing; the training ground visit.

Arguably the only major thing the current owners are doing is relaying the pitch and I believe that was required to be done due to the subsidence and unevenness. If I'm remembering what I was told by a member of the ground staff a couple of years ago correctly, we were having to get special dispensation from the EFL to keep playing on the pitch and we were only getting that due to our ownership situation.

I kind of see your point but I do think (and this is crazy to say because of how he basically saved our entire club), he can't win.

He does all the things I mentioned, recruited new and innovative people, tried to engage and speak to fans, and still people will moan about toilets, signage and staff.

Had he started out by fixing the bogs, educating staff and putting signs up, people would say "all he's done is put some signs up"

I agree with another poster that people are expecting too much. Poeple think the club and business revolve around the 90 minutes we spend there but it's obviously far greater than that. From the 100s of staff working from HR to Finance, Legal, etc, to the vehicles they own, youth staff, the training sites, the funds for equipment, the maintance of all aspects from the office space, to Bearwood, to the ground.

Yet fans are focussing on the taps being shit, and the signs being dull/removed.

As I said, I get your point, I really do - but I think fans need to be realistic and also reasonable.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Not sure what people have been expecting tbh.

Reclining padded seats?
VR enhancement headsets?
Prawn sandwiches delivered by topless staff?
10 different 5 star restaurants on the concourse?
FIreworks before and after every game?
Red arrows for every half time?


Not enough that he's saved the club from ruin and is taking time to sort things out in a sound and sustainable way?

ffs

He didn’t save the club from ruin. He strong armed himself into a position where only he could by it, knowing that he didn’t have enough money. His only intention here is to strip back costs as much as possible to show the club to be artificially profitable.

Other buyers were there with more money and more prowess, but he just couldn’t let it lie. Now, we’re struggling to pay the bills because he took on a project he cant afford.

[katweslowski]

Not sure what people have been expecting tbh.

Reclining padded seats?
VR enhancement headsets?
Prawn sandwiches delivered by topless staff?
10 different 5 star restaurants on the concourse?
FIreworks before and after every game?
Red arrows for every half time?


Not enough that he's saved the club from ruin and is taking time to sort things out in a sound and sustainable way?

ffs

He didn’t save the club from ruin. He strong armed himself into a position where only he could by it, knowing that he didn’t have enough money. His only intention here is to strip back costs as much as possible to show the club to be artificially profitable.

Other buyers were there with more money and more prowess, but he just couldn’t let it lie. Now, we’re struggling to pay the bills because he took on a project he cant afford.

What in God's name are you talking about? How can he not afford it? He's paying the wages, he's installing new speakers, he's upgrading the pitch, he's got food back in the training ground, hotels for players before games, new investors and partnership deals, investment in Royals TV and social media, and AI.

I will never understand fans like you at all. He agreed to buy the club a year before he did but DY f.cked him about and so rightly took legal action.

Either way, he did save the club from ruin. How can you even argue that. We were mere days from league expulsion.

[Marcel]

There are basic things which should've been done to improve fan experience, which hasn't been done. Things like cleaning the toilets; fixing the taps; replacing faded/damaged/missing signage; ensuring staff are actually knowledgeable; etc. These things have an impact as to whether people would want to return to the stadium and shouldn't cost very much.

Most of what they've done so far in 'improve fan experience' seems to be based on gimmicks or low priority things: the fireworks; safe standing; the training ground visit.

Arguably the only major thing the current owners are doing is relaying the pitch and I believe that was required to be done due to the subsidence and unevenness. If I'm remembering what I was told by a member of the ground staff a couple of years ago correctly, we were having to get special dispensation from the EFL to keep playing on the pitch and we were only getting that due to our ownership situation.

I kind of see your point but I do think (and this is crazy to say because of how he basically saved our entire club), he can't win.

He does all the things I mentioned, recruited new and innovative people, tried to engage and speak to fans, and still people will moan about toilets, signage and staff.

Had he started out by fixing the bogs, educating staff and putting signs up, people would say "all he's done is put some signs up"

I agree with another poster that people are expecting too much. Poeple think the club and business revolve around the 90 minutes we spend there but it's obviously far greater than that. From the 100s of staff working from HR to Finance, Legal, etc, to the vehicles they own, youth staff, the training sites, the funds for equipment, the maintance of all aspects from the office space, to Bearwood, to the ground.

Yet fans are focussing on the taps being shit, and the signs being dull/removed.

As I said, I get your point, I really do - but I think fans need to be realistic and also reasonable.

People complaining about taps and toilets or bathrooms as the yanks call them, are relevant.
They are the basics that any customer would expect from a supposedly modern sports stadium.