The road from here....

[Millsy]

Firstly, don't bother sending me pelters. Just hear me out.

This ain't a great season. We all agree on that. But for some folks to say it is the worst ever takes some questioning.
1) If you are reading this, and you have been watching RFC for around 10-15 years...then you have been EXTREMELY lucky.
2) If you are reading this and you go back around 20 years, then please remember the gut wrenching last season at Elm Park and the antics of Tommy Burns,
3) If you are reading this and you go back 30 years, you'll recall 1989 when we survived relegation to the fourth division on the last day of the season.
4) If you are reading this and you go back 40 years, you'll recall the 1977 relegation to Division 4.
5) And if you go back 50 years, then you will NEVER of even dreamed of Reading playing in the top flight, or regularly in the 2nd tier, or reaching an FA Cup semi final...and three FAC quarter-finals.
6) And if you go back longer than that, what you've seen with Reading FC is beyond what you EVER imagined.

As a season ticket holder for almost 40 years now, I am not enjoying this season. But I didn't enjoy Taxi boy. I didn't enjoy Tommy Burns, But as a READING fan you take the good times with the bad times.

I will never ever ever boycott a game, or stop going. Why would I ?? I am a Reading Football Club fan and have seen many many managers, and far more players. Some "fans" on here have no idea. I have had WAY more good times than bad times.
If you support your club, that is what it is all about. The dreadful times make the great times feel even better.

Maybe Stam should go. Quite probably, maybe the players should take a look at themselves.

Getting a new manager in now MAY be a nightmare. No transfer window to work in, and a team of poor-performing players.

My point is...I will (hopefully) be around watching Reading long past Stam, and the next manager, and the next manager. So please think who you are throwing your anger against. The club ? The management ? The players ?

And if you are REALLY blue and white through and through, then think about where you want RFC to be next season. And the season after that. And after that.

Am done. Another can of Speckled Hen please. And tell you what....I would LOVE it if we win on Tuesday, then batter Millwall on Saturday.

To summarise your points:

Not the worst season ever. Yeah quite possibly, but who cares it's irrelevant. We agree it's still sh*t.

Don't boycott. Rubbish. Fans can do what they want. You take the good with the bad, good for you. We all do, we don't stop becoming Reading fans. But don't insist that we have to give up our hard earned cash to watch stuff we hate. Totally fair to not turn if we feel like it.

Getting a new manager will be hard. Yep, probably. Should have gone before the transfer window. Have to make the best of a bad job I guess now.

[Barney]

Firstly, don't bother sending me pelters. Just hear me out.

This ain't a great season. We all agree on that. But for some folks to say it is the worst ever takes some questioning.
1) If you are reading this, and you have been watching RFC for around 10-15 years...then you have been EXTREMELY lucky.
2) If you are reading this and you go back around 20 years, then please remember the gut wrenching last season at Elm Park and the antics of Tommy Burns,
3) If you are reading this and you go back 30 years, you'll recall 1989 when we survived relegation to the fourth division on the last day of the season.
4) If you are reading this and you go back 40 years, you'll recall the 1977 relegation to Division 4.
5) And if you go back 50 years, then you will NEVER of even dreamed of Reading playing in the top flight, or regularly in the 2nd tier, or reaching an FA Cup semi final...and three FAC quarter-finals.
6) And if you go back longer than that, what you've seen with Reading FC is beyond what you EVER imagined.

As a season ticket holder for almost 40 years now, I am not enjoying this season. But I didn't enjoy Taxi boy. I didn't enjoy Tommy Burns, But as a READING fan you take the good times with the bad times.

I will never ever ever boycott a game, or stop going. Why would I ?? I am a Reading Football Club fan and have seen many many managers, and far more players. Some "fans" on here have no idea. I have had WAY more good times than bad times.
If you support your club, that is what it is all about. The dreadful times make the great times feel even better.

Maybe Stam should go. Quite probably, maybe the players should take a look at themselves.

Getting a new manager in now MAY be a nightmare. No transfer window to work in, and a team of poor-performing players.

My point is...I will (hopefully) be around watching Reading long past Stam, and the next manager, and the next manager. So please think who you are throwing your anger against. The club ? The management ? The players ?

And if you are REALLY blue and white through and through, then think about where you want RFC to be next season. And the season after that. And after that.

Am done. Another can of Speckled Hen please. And tell you what....I would LOVE it if we win on Tuesday, then batter Millwall on Saturday.

To summarise your points:

Not the worst season ever. Yeah quite possibly, but who cares it's irrelevant. We agree it's still sh*t.

Don't boycott. Rubbish. Fans can do what they want. You take the good with the bad, good for you. We all do, we don't stop becoming Reading fans. But don't insist that we have to give up our hard earned cash to watch stuff we hate. Totally fair to not turn if we feel like it.

Getting a new manager will be hard. Yep, probably. Should have gone before the transfer window. Have to make the best of a bad job I guess now.

I didn't say DON'T BOYCOTT. I said I won't boycott. You can do what the hell you like.

[Victor Meldrew]

Just watching Man City reminded me of Reading this season passing the ball around at the back-one major difference was that City were doing it at 2-0 up whereas we do it at 2-0 down.
During all the years of watching us, even in 1971/72 when we finished 16th in Div 4, we have tended to win the majority of our Saturday afternoon home games (It's just that in the bad seasons we were dire away from home).
This season so far we are yet to win a home game on a Saturday afternoon-in that 1971/2 our record over the whole season was W14-D3-L6, yes 14 games won.

With so many other attractions and distractions for Saturday afternoons it strikes me as amazing that the support hasn't dropped off more, which shows me that the club has plenty of very loyal Royals.
I have a feeling that we will get a point or 3 against Burton and possibly a point against Milwall which will keep us just ahead of the relegation pack.
The shame is that then it will be just enough to keep Stam in a job, content in most games for his team to get just the one shot on target in the first half and seemingly orgasmic if we get a 0-0. by the club ever

It is incredibly dull and, as others have said here and elsewhere, it is against the background of the biggest pre-season spend ever and with only one outfield player of note having left the club that was one kick away from promotion last season.
Yes, we have been through thick and thin over the years but IMHO this is the worst thin of all ( I say "all" but I am only talking about the last 64 years!!).

[Reading4eva]

I think the real pain this season is we were almost in the Premier League, now we are heading for League One. I can see it happening and as said before that will really put the club backwards.

Yes with a new manager and the squad we have, we will bounce back like Wigan have but I'd rather not risk it.

The worst point was Macclesfield away then Bristol Rovers at home for me. It was turgid stuff. The opposition were crap, we were crap. The only thing that wasn't was the Madejski Stadium which looked so out of place in that league at that time.

I can't see us surviving unless they do something NOW.

[The Cap]

Quite simply, 'We want our Reading back'. Both on and off the field. The frustration is palpable.

[Forbury Lion]

2) If you are reading this and you go back around 20 years, then please remember the gut wrenching last season at Elm Park and the antics of Tommy Burns

I had a lot of respect for Tommy Burns. At least he wasn't afraid to roll the dice on deadline day or listen and respond directly to our concerns. Looking back (with affection), we were a tinpot club back then and were always going to struggle keep momentum in the years after finishing 2nd and selling some of our better players.

[Maneki Neko]

the gut wrenching last season at Elm Park and the antics of Tommy Burns,

still one of my favourite seasons ever, and the year I properly fell in love with Reading FC.

[Denver Royal]

Just watching Man City reminded me of Reading this season passing the ball around at the back

If you've seen Chelsea and Man Yoo these days, they pass the ball around at the back a lot, too. (And none of them have a Dutch manager). Why is this, do you think? Those 3 clubs are the richest in UK. They can afford to bring in any player or manager or system or style they want. Do any of their fans cry 'We want our club back, both on the field and off it'? That's not a rhetorical question, I'm serious, do Citeh fan's want their club back? It must be unrecognizable from the club that most of them have known. Even when we were 'successful' and in 3rd place last season, 'the fans' didn't like the style. Man Yoo and Chelsea are in 2nd and 3rd right now. Do their fans cry about their 'style' at all? Do Stretford Enders long for the days of Gordon Hill?

[billybraggsbeard]

Category 5 for me, my Dad taking me when we were in the old 3rd division.
My point is we will soon forget how crap this season was, going back over the years we've had many seasons like this, we just didn't have the expectancy of almost getting up to the prem last season.
We'll either get someone in who will galvanise us to start battling again all over the pitch, or we'll get relegated and rebuild again from there, it will be tough but we've done it it before. We just need to get our club back and start playing the Reading way again not this turgid crap that Stam dictates

[Victor Meldrew]

Just watching Man City reminded me of Reading this season passing the ball around at the back

If you've seen Chelsea and Man Yoo these days, they pass the ball around at the back a lot, too. (And none of them have a Dutch manager). Why is this, do you think? Those 3 clubs are the richest in UK. They can afford to bring in any player or manager or system or style they want. Do any of their fans cry 'We want our club back, both on the field and off it'? That's not a rhetorical question, I'm serious, do Citeh fan's want their club back? It must be unrecognizable from the club that most of them have known. Even when we were 'successful' and in 3rd place last season, 'the fans' didn't like the style. Man Yoo and Chelsea are in 2nd and 3rd right now. Do their fans cry about their 'style' at all? Do Stretford Enders long for the days of Gordon Hill?

City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs also all pass the ball amongst themselves at the back but you have rather missed the point..
We pass the ball about at the back but, unlike the good teams, we don't then accelerate through midfield.
So often we pass the ball to and fro and then one of our defenders just wellies the ball into no man's land.
It is so different and, as opposed to total football, the way we play it is generally non-football.

[Denver Royal]

Just watching Man City reminded me of Reading this season passing the ball around at the back

If you've seen Chelsea and Man Yoo these days, they pass the ball around at the back a lot, too. (And none of them have a Dutch manager). Why is this, do you think? Those 3 clubs are the richest in UK. They can afford to bring in any player or manager or system or style they want. Do any of their fans cry 'We want our club back, both on the field and off it'? That's not a rhetorical question, I'm serious, do Citeh fan's want their club back? It must be unrecognizable from the club that most of them have known. Even when we were 'successful' and in 3rd place last season, 'the fans' didn't like the style. Man Yoo and Chelsea are in 2nd and 3rd right now. Do their fans cry about their 'style' at all? Do Stretford Enders long for the days of Gordon Hill?

City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs also all pass the ball amongst themselves at the back but you have rather missed the point..
We pass the ball about at the back but, unlike the good teams, we don't then accelerate through midfield.
So often we pass the ball to and fro and then one of our defenders just wellies the ball into no man's land.
It is so different and, as opposed to total football, the way we play it is generally non-football.

Well, of course we are different. Much improvement is needed and we have a long ways to go. But, I was saying that Man Yoo and Chelsea, by choice, have at various times been called boring and having a negative style. Maybe you've heard that charge against them too? And this, despite them having the money and resources to play any way they like. And, what their fans may think of it, and whether they find it boring, too. Anyways, we can leave it there...

[Victor Meldrew]

If you've seen Chelsea and Man Yoo these days, they pass the ball around at the back a lot, too. (And none of them have a Dutch manager). Why is this, do you think? Those 3 clubs are the richest in UK. They can afford to bring in any player or manager or system or style they want. Do any of their fans cry 'We want our club back, both on the field and off it'? That's not a rhetorical question, I'm serious, do Citeh fan's want their club back? It must be unrecognizable from the club that most of them have known. Even when we were 'successful' and in 3rd place last season, 'the fans' didn't like the style. Man Yoo and Chelsea are in 2nd and 3rd right now. Do their fans cry about their 'style' at all? Do Stretford Enders long for the days of Gordon Hill?

City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs also all pass the ball amongst themselves at the back but you have rather missed the point..
We pass the ball about at the back but, unlike the good teams, we don't then accelerate through midfield.
So often we pass the ball to and fro and then one of our defenders just wellies the ball into no man's land.
It is so different and, as opposed to total football, the way we play it is generally non-football.

Well, of course we are different. Much improvement is needed and we have a long ways to go. But, I was saying that Man Yoo and Chelsea, by choice, have at various times been called boring and having a negative style. Maybe you've heard that charge against them too? And this, despite them having the money and resources to play any way they like. And, what their fans may think of it, and whether they find it boring, too. Anyways, we can leave it there...

I quite like the method as a starting point (McGhee had us doing it well but Burns and Rodgers less so) but it has no merit if we then don't accelerate the movement forward.

[The Cap]

Cheers Victor. You saved me a lot of time there, mate.

[Snowflake Royal]

City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs also all pass the ball amongst themselves at the back but you have rather missed the point..
We pass the ball about at the back but, unlike the good teams, we don't then accelerate through midfield.
So often we pass the ball to and fro and then one of our defenders just wellies the ball into no man's land.
It is so different and, as opposed to total football, the way we play it is generally non-football.

Well, of course we are different. Much improvement is needed and we have a long ways to go. But, I was saying that Man Yoo and Chelsea, by choice, have at various times been called boring and having a negative style. Maybe you've heard that charge against them too? And this, despite them having the money and resources to play any way they like. And, what their fans may think of it, and whether they find it boring, too. Anyways, we can leave it there...

I quite like the method as a starting point (McGhee had us doing it well but Burns and Rodgers less so) but it has no merit if we then don't accelerate the movement forward.

If we did we wouldn't be shit. It's not the style of football's fault. It's being shit.

If we played direct we'd still be shit. The only difference is we'd be shit with far less of the ball.

[percy_freeman]

My 50th season and I've had enough. Went to Stevenage away and I can't think of many more depressing performances than that. The whole ownership situation isn't helping, the Thai's only wanted the land and I'm not sure what the Chinese want, perhaps an eat all you like franchise in Royal Elm Park, but it sure isn't a Premiership Football Club. It has been blatantly apparent from day one of this season that our lack of a strikeforce could be costly. Here we are in sight of the deadline and the only prospect is someone else's washed up 5 or 6 goal striker Chris Martin. Stam's football has been abysmal. We got away with a lot last year before going to Wembley in what was probably the worst play off game ever and we have been well and truly found out this season. Nobody seems to want to budge so, my choice, I will stay away.