Accepting defeat

Only one Trevor Morley · by **Only one Trevor Morley** » 03 Aug 2006 14:50

Some of the threads on here today have prompted me to post this thread.

I've got real concerns that as we were so successful last season, we're going to go into this season expecting to get something from every game and when we have a spell when we dont win, they'll be those who immediately jump up and down saying that we're not good enough and calling for Coppells head

Lets look at the facts;

40 points is usually enough to stay up (recently its been less than this) So success for reading will equal 40 points - obviously we all hope that we'll get more but staying up will definitely be a success.

Based on getting 40 points that means that we'll lose at least 18 games this season assuming that we win 10 and draw 10. Do we as a group of supporters have the mental ability to accept those 18 losses..

We also have a team where most of our best players are signed up on decent contracts - so even if the worst does happen the future is still pretty bright

I would like to think that we are able to positively support our team through the next 9 months. We havent had a season when we've finished in the bottom half of the table for so long that the temptation will be to get on the backs of the players..... particularly for those who only started supporting Reading since Pardew was appointed

But doing so would be so counterproductive. For so long, so many of us have dreamt about this moment. Dont take it for granted, dont assume we'll do a Wigan. Every point will be crucial and if that means the team getting inspired from the backing of the fans when they fall two nil down and suddenly coming back to get two late goals then we should do everything we can to ensure that. That point might b the one to keep us up ( it might even be the one to get us into Europe!).

From reading some of the threads you'd think that we were still on the Championship and that relegation was on the cards. This is a historic opportunity - and we have an important part to play. If we do get relegated then let the recriminations, anaylysis, doom mongering begin - but lets for now try and get together and support the team through thick and thin and get used to the fact that we will lose games this season but that doesnt have to mean we should immediately start moaning.

Can we do that - I have my doubts. I hope I'm wrong.

SpaceCruiser · by **SpaceCruiser** » 03 Aug 2006 14:53

Thinking about it, we have gone all year with just one defeat - I think perhaps we're all used to not losing.

Row Z Royal · by **Row Z Royal** » 03 Aug 2006 15:00

I fully expect the/some fans to get on the backs of the playing and management staff during the season.

It happened last season (only to a couple of players, I admit).

I agree with your thoughts about the newer type (MadStad era only) not having really felt too much failure. But it was always going to happen. Reading fans have been very fortunate in recent years and they would do well to remember that.

They haven't had to criticise the players 'en masse' before and should avoid doing so this season, if possible. Many of the players have enjoyed good times recently, but are unlikely to receive the same praise next season.

Success, in my eyes, will be staying up. Pride will come with palying good football and giving the whole league a run for its money. If we are still relegated then so be it. But I will be proud of the players and staff for giving their all at all times.

Hoop Blah · by **Hoop Blah** » 03 Aug 2006 15:03

Good point, well made.

I worry that some of the posters on here expect our side from last year to be able to compete without too much strengthening just because West Ham and Wigan did so well last season. Personally I think many are under estimating the ability of the mid table Prem teams and aren't quite ready for the battle we have ahead of us.

I do think we have a good bunch of players, one that can do well, but I still think we are a few players short of a side I'd be confident of staying up with.

Forbury Lion · by **Forbury Lion** » 03 Aug 2006 15:04

SpaceCruiser wrote:Thinking about it, we have gone all year with just one defeat - I think perhaps we're all used to not losing.

We lost twice in the league last season at home to Plymouth and away to Luton. If your looking at last not last season then you have to factor in the end of the season before last.

I don't believe we've ever gone a full year or a full season with just one defeat.

wehateoxford · by **wehateoxford** » 03 Aug 2006 15:09

personally i expect a relegation battle or thereabouts, but as said above, so long as we have a crack i don't mind if we win or lose 3-0

Ian Royal · by **Ian Royal** » 03 Aug 2006 15:09

I think that we have a lot of fans who expect too much from us, espcially given a lot of the coments about our signings and relegation.

It's like they think that we are owed the right to stay up and the club are trying to ruin it.

If we do have a hard time then these fans are the ones who will sod of and allow fans like myself, who don't have many points, but would watch Reading play scunthorpe quite happily to actually make it to a few games.
As long as the majority of the fans who know much about Reading and are consistantly supportive make their presence known (and I think theres a minimum of 10,000 of us) then we can hopefully drown out the idiots and the boo boys.

wehateoxford · by **wehateoxford** » 03 Aug 2006 15:09

agreed and well said

SpaceCruiser · by **SpaceCruiser** » 03 Aug 2006 15:10

Forbury Lion wrote:
SpaceCruiser wrote:Thinking about it, we have gone all year with just one defeat - I think perhaps we're all used to not losing.
We lost twice in the league last season at home to Plymouth and away to Luton. If your looking at last not last season then you have to factor in the end of the season before last.

I don't believe we've ever gone a full year or a full season with just one defeat.

I was talking about this year, i.e. 2006. Sorry, I seem to have forgot that we lost to Birmingham in the FA Cup as well as losing at Luton.

And we haven't even lost a pre-season friendly yet......touch wood!

Top Flight · by **Top Flight** » 03 Aug 2006 15:27

Only one Trevor Morley wrote:Some of the threads on here today have prompted me to post this thread.

I've got real concerns that as we were so successful last season, we're going to go into this season expecting to get something from every game and when we have a spell when we dont win, they'll be those who immediately jump up and down saying that we're not good enough and calling for Coppells head

Lets look at the facts;

40 points is usually enough to stay up (recently its been less than this) So success for reading will equal 40 points - obviously we all hope that we'll get more but staying up will definitely be a success.

Based on getting 40 points that means that we'll lose at least 18 games this season assuming that we win 10 and draw 10. Do we as a group of supporters have the mental ability to accept those 18 losses..

We also have a team where most of our best players are signed up on decent contracts - so even if the worst does happen the future is still pretty bright

I would like to think that we are able to positively support our team through the next 9 months. We havent had a season when we've finished in the bottom half of the table for so long that the temptation will be to get on the backs of the players..... particularly for those who only started supporting Reading since Pardew was appointed

But doing so would be so counterproductive. For so long, so many of us have dreamt about this moment. Dont take it for granted, dont assume we'll do a Wigan. Every point will be crucial and if that means the team getting inspired from the backing of the fans when they fall two nil down and suddenly coming back to get two late goals then we should do everything we can to ensure that. That point might b the one to keep us up ( it might even be the one to get us into Europe!).

From reading some of the threads you'd think that we were still on the Championship and that relegation was on the cards. This is a historic opportunity - and we have an important part to play. If we do get relegated then let the recriminations, anaylysis, doom mongering begin - but lets for now try and get together and support the team through thick and thin and get used to the fact that we will lose games this season but that doesnt have to mean we should immediately start moaning.

Can we do that - I have my doubts. I hope I'm wrong.

Your taking the internet forum way too seriously........

What gets said on HNA and the way the team are supported at the Mad House are two different things. Alot of people will talk alot of nonsense in this forum and then sing their hearts out and back the team to the hilt on the Saturday. HNA is just pub talk in a public fishbowl forum!

Just take what gets said in here with a pinch of salt! This environment is designed where people can only communicate with words and not body language to make things sound alot harsher than they are really meant!
People are just talking...... Just chill pal!

Only one Trevor Morley · by **Only one Trevor Morley** » 03 Aug 2006 15:40

Top Flight wrote:
Your taking the internet forum way too seriously........

What gets said on HNA and the way the team are supported at the Mad House are two different things. Alot of people will talk alot of nonsense in this forum and then sing their hearts out and back the team to the hilt on the Saturday. HNA is just pub talk in a public fishbowl forum!

Just take what gets said in here with a pinch of salt! This environment is designed where people can only communicate with words and not body language to make things sound alot harsher than they are really meant!
People are just talking...... Just chill pal!

Far from it. To be honest I think that HNA is more fiar minded than most fans I sit near - I can still remember the boos around me when we went off at half time at 0-0 in the Watford game.....

Ian Royal · by **Ian Royal** » 03 Aug 2006 15:44

I'd agree with OoTM, HNA is pretty good in terms of loyal support compared to the crowd at the md stad. theres a higher proportion of boo boys and people who just sit and make no noise at all.

Forbury Lion · by **Forbury Lion** » 03 Aug 2006 15:46

SpaceCruiser wrote:
Forbury Lion wrote:
SpaceCruiser wrote:Thinking about it, we have gone all year with just one defeat - I think perhaps we're all used to not losing.
We lost twice in the league last season at home to Plymouth and away to Luton. If your looking at last not last season then you have to factor in the end of the season before last.

I don't believe we've ever gone a full year or a full season with just one defeat.
I was talking about this year, i.e. 2006. Sorry, I seem to have forgot that we lost to Birmingham in the FA Cup as well as losing at Luton.

And we haven't even lost a pre-season friendly yet......touch wood!

If your talking about 2006 we have not yet gone "all year" with just one defeat

SpaceCruiser · by **SpaceCruiser** » 03 Aug 2006 15:48

Forbury Lion wrote:
SpaceCruiser wrote:
Forbury Lion wrote:We lost twice in the league last season at home to Plymouth and away to Luton. If your looking at last not last season then you have to factor in the end of the season before last.

I don't believe we've ever gone a full year or a full season with just one defeat.
I was talking about this year, i.e. 2006. Sorry, I seem to have forgot that we lost to Birmingham in the FA Cup as well as losing at Luton.

And we haven't even lost a pre-season friendly yet......touch wood!
If your talking about 2006 we have not yet gone "all year" with just one defeat

Well, halfway through a year so far then!

readingfc_4_life_and_beyo · by **readingfc_4_life_and_beyo** » 03 Aug 2006 15:58

Very well said OoTM.

Although, I personally am one of those likely to get frustrated :rolls: I'll try my hardest not to as every true Reading fan should do this season... A season to get behind the team more than ever

quinnsleftfoot · by **quinnsleftfoot** » 03 Aug 2006 16:05

What gets said on HNA and the way the team are supported at the Mad House are two different things. Alot of people will talk alot of nonsense in this forum and then sing their hearts out and back the team to the hilt on the Saturday. HNA is just pub talk in a public fishbowl forum!

As others above have already said I think that HNA is a lot more supportive than the Madejski crowd. There were people moaning around me when we were 4-0 up against Millwall.

Tilehurst End · by **Tilehurst End** » 03 Aug 2006 16:57

Just enter the season with hope in your hearts and enjoy the adventure whatever happens.

We have to be prepared for a couple of real tonkings during this year but it's how we react to those that's important, both on and off the field. Besides, somewhere we'll get a result that we never dreamed of and be telling our grandchildren about it.

Top Flight · by **Top Flight** » 03 Aug 2006 16:59

Only one Trevor Morley wrote:
Top Flight wrote:
Your taking the internet forum way too seriously........

What gets said on HNA and the way the team are supported at the Mad House are two different things. Alot of people will talk alot of nonsense in this forum and then sing their hearts out and back the team to the hilt on the Saturday. HNA is just pub talk in a public fishbowl forum!

Just take what gets said in here with a pinch of salt! This environment is designed where people can only communicate with words and not body language to make things sound alot harsher than they are really meant!
People are just talking...... Just chill pal!
Far from it. To be honest I think that HNA is more fiar minded than most fans I sit near - I can still remember the boos around me when we went off at half time at 0-0 in the Watford game.....

You have totally not got my point......

I wasn't talking about who is the better crowd, HNA or regular Mad Stad crowd who don't post on HNA!

I was simply making the point that you shouldn't worry about some of the negative posting on HNA as this is simply just a forum for like minded fans to express their views and talk about things. Because on a forum like this, words are the only communication tool we have, (we can't use facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc when making a point) Sometimes it sounds like the HNA posters are being very negative about lack of signings etc. When in fact they are just raising issues and wanting to discuss solutions.

You were making the point that you were worried that the negativity on this board would be taken into the Mad Stad on a Saturday afternoon by the doom mongers.

I am saying: "Don't worry buddy... This is merely just a forum to talk and the negativity on these boards will not be taken into the Mad Stad by the good posters of HNA"

Ian Royal · by **Ian Royal** » 03 Aug 2006 17:05

no but it is indicative of the negativity that will be seen in the mad stad should we lose a couple of games on the trot, something that is virtually garunteed to happen. And the negativity in the stadium is likely to be worse than that on HNA. I think you missed our point.

Only one Trevor Morley · by **Only one Trevor Morley** » 03 Aug 2006 17:11

[quote="Top Flight"]

You were making the point that you were worried that the negativity on this board would be taken into the Mad Stad on a Saturday afternoon by the doom mongers.

[quote]

I dont think you quite get my point.

I have not made the point that this board would be taken into the Mad Stad on a Saturday afternoon by the doom mongers. I'm worried that some reading fans (be they at the Mad Stad, HNA, wherever) will not be used to losing and therefore be negative when all we should be doing is supporting until the season is over and if we get relegated then let the inquests begin....

Whether or not the board is negative or not is irrelevant - my message is lets back the team, even if they lose (which they inevitability will on quite a few occasions) rather than moan the whole season.