What does RFC mean to you?

[leicsRoyal]

Every season at present seems to be filled with excitement.
As an exile with a young family I find it hard to get to every game, I know that my family suffers as a result of my love for RFC. If I'm not driving 100's of miles for 90 minutes of football, I'm glued to the telly or a live stream.

Saturday morning comes and I've not mentioned about going to football and then all of a sudden the buzz kicks in and off I trek leaving the family behind all to be with a group of people that seem to have been my family all of my life!

It must be the only thing in my life where I volunteer, even pay, for such highs and lows on such a regular basis, or do I volunteer? Is it more of an addiction, something in my blood.

Reading FC holds so many great memories, many with family no longer here. The sound of the crackling tannoy playing ' dancing queen' as I walked into the Tilehurst Road end with my late grandfather to the ecstasy as Shanes penalty was drilled home on Saturday.

It's an addiction, a harmful one, probably not but an expensive one none the less.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Not as much as it once did. Seen one game this season, like to see them doing well, but don't sit glued to commentaries or even watch televised games.

If BM is here in a couple of years and most of the players we have now are still here then who knows.

As far as value for money, football is no longer worth the cost.

Any other place that charged £4 an hour to park would get slaughtered, imagine paying that at The Oracle?

[Terminal Boardom]

Not as much as it once did. Seen one game this season, like to see them doing well, but don't sit glued to commentaries or even watch televised games.

If BM is here in a couple of years and most of the players we have now are still here then who knows.

As far as value for money, football is no longer worth the cost.

Any other place that charged £4 an hour to park would get slaughtered, imagine paying that at The Oracle?

Luton Airport charges £10 per hour.

[Red]

I'm actually with 2-0 here, means next to nothing to me these days.

Other than this portal, and feeling obliged to give an answer when people say "what team do you support" I've lost all ties with the club.

Last went to a match about 5 years ago and I'd struggle to name more than two or three players in the current squad.

Partly I think I've just outgrown it (or at least my interests have changed since I was a teenager), and partly it does seem to have lost its magic since "we" moved to the Mad Stad. But the game as a whole bores me a bit these days, try to still take a bit of interest so I can at least join in a conversation about the game, and partly for professional reasons it helps to have a bit of background as to whats going on - but beyond that, pah.

[leicsRoyal]

A bit the opposite way round for me Red,

I lost a little interest in my late teens and early twenties when the roller coaster ride of leaving home and everything that went with it kicked in.

Since then the love has come back, although I love the routine of family life, it's my bit of escapism.

[SLAMMED]

Reading Football Club.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Not as much as it once did. Seen one game this season, like to see them doing well, but don't sit glued to commentaries or even watch televised games.

If BM is here in a couple of years and most of the players we have now are still here then who knows.

As far as value for money, football is no longer worth the cost.

Any other place that charged £4 an hour to park would get slaughtered, imagine paying that at The Oracle?

Luton Airport charges £10 per hour.

Really?? 1 hour £7.50 http://www.london-luton.co.uk/en/conten ... rking.html

[Jerry St Clair]

Not as much as it once did. Seen one game this season, like to see them doing well, but don't sit glued to commentaries or even watch televised games.

If BM is here in a couple of years and most of the players we have now are still here then who knows.

As far as value for money, football is no longer worth the cost.

Any other place that charged £4 an hour to park would get slaughtered, imagine paying that at The Oracle?

+1

But is this just an age thing? Does the club mean the same to current teenagers and 20-somethings as it did to me when I was that age?

[ruprecht]

To be honest I'm not that interested in Reading Football club. I'm not even interested in football. I just enjoy going somewhere where I can bang two inflatable rolling pins together and eat a large yorkie bar with like minded people.

[Sarah Star]

Passion, excitement, camaraderie... I'm with you LeicsRoyal. Don't know what the oxf*rd I've been doing with the rest of my life tbh.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Great memories since my first game 1971

An occasional connection with the national press

Progression

Something to upstage (the generic Chelsea/Man U/Arsenal) work colleagues chit chat with every Monday morning

Players (young and old) never ceasing to amaze me with their brilliant one-off performances every now and then...........

Great managers

[LUX]

I'm actually with 2-0 here, means next to nothing to me these days.

Other than this portal, and feeling obliged to give an answer when people say "what team do you support" I've lost all ties with the club.

Last went to a match about 5 years ago and I'd struggle to name more than two or three players in the current squad.

Partly I think I've just outgrown it (or at least my interests have changed since I was a teenager), and partly it does seem to have lost its magic since "we" moved to the Mad Stad. But the game as a whole bores me a bit these days, try to still take a bit of interest so I can at least join in a conversation about the game, and partly for professional reasons it helps to have a bit of background as to whats going on - but beyond that, pah.

Red, yesterday would have brought you back onside.

Side issue, there were lots of tanked up RFC fans on the 18h02 back to St Pancras, but two of them were Watford/Chelsea fans with no connection to RFC. They just go to the big away games with their (Ascot/Sunningdale, apparently) RFC mates.

[Wizard]

Used to always look for the result when I was young. When I was about 16 I lost interest (sadly when we were premier league so missed those seasons) but properly rekindled interest since we got relegated.

[Royal With Cheese]

It get's more difficult the longer you are away. 95% of matchday's I'm glued to Reading World although I do miss the odd one.

I can't adequately put into words what it means but Spizz had a good stab - and that's good enough for me.

[Red]

Red, yesterday would have brought you back onside.

Away games > Home games generally, and yes I can imagine having seen the score line that there was plenty of drama at the city ground on Saturday.

Would've meant missing the Grand National though.

Did you pop into the Grapes?

[brendywendy]

it used to mean misery, shame, embarrassment, pain and crushing disappointment, punctuated with fleeting glimpses of joy and brilliance. which is what i always thought was what football fandom was mainly all about.
but the last ten years have shown me another side to the game. its one that im still not entirely confortable with, but im slowly coming round to

[URZZZZZZZZ]

I started watching Reading in 2000, so I have been very fortunate in that more or less every season there has been something to play for, be in automatic promotion, a playoff place, or fighting off relegation. If for example we had a 10 year record in the same mould as Coventry's then perhaps I wouldn't be as hooked as I am.

It's funny there have been several instances where I could have easily been pulled away, but in every case I've either stayed or come back after a short absence. My University years I sold programmes to finance my travel and ticket for the games. These were the Premiership years, would I have come back had we been playing in the Championship? Probably not. Would my love for the club have continued if I hadn't continued kept coming to watch them during these years? Who knows.

This season I've been in a position where I have to work when Reading play. I've only seen five games since the turn of the year, which is a vast decrease in what I normally do. My attendance drops greatly and I don't feel any holes appearing in my life, the footballs still going on, I can still rejoice in victory, I just don't see it happen. This is until I go to the Man City match and see just how well the lads play, and in particular, players who have come through our youth set up matching up to some of the elite players in the World. I then see us break the hoodoo aganst Pompey and then go and see us record that sensational win against Forest. No matter how hard you try, it keeps pulling you back!

The biggest test coming up is my impending move to the midlands, where I will be further from Reading than any other time since I've been supporting them. Working on the occasional Saturdays will also provide a stumbling block. I do know however that for the remainder of my time alive, I will always feel affection for Reading, simply because I won't allow myself to think otherwise!

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

The local football club and only league club in the Royal County of Berkshire.

Support the local team instead of Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool and others.

The next geneartion of kids are now supporting RFC after sucessful campaigns since the millenium. It is great to see the blue and white hooped shirts in the local parks in Berkshire, Surrey and Hampshire.

[zummerset]

I loved the club as a boy watching at EP had that fizz of excitment walking down from the town centre on match days - even listened to the ground from my grans house in Oxford Road when I was too small to go. Lost interest a bit when I moved away and played rugby for years but I was always first in the bar to get a good spot for the final scores. About six years ago I started going to games regularly again and have increased the games year on year. I absol;utely love it, wife and kids are fans now - good to see them appreciate the buzz, highs and lows.

Reading till I die!

[1871 Royal]

I can't think of anything else I would rather be doing than following this football club. Just means everything to me! Love going to games, even if I cant get to so many now I am at uni, but if I ever start losing faith I just have to look at this season, how much it has changed. After drawing so many games this season and I will admit I thought we would struggle to finish in the top half about 3 months ago, however now to have a chance of finishing second is incredible! The ups and downs of this club is what makes my winter exciting and when the season finishes I cant wait to the fixtures are released because that always feels like the beginning of the season is just around the corner.

Couldn't imagine not supporting RFC and getting excited on a matchday.