BFT Appalling mess at home

[strap]

Those who were booing when Blackett had the ball are an absolute disgrace. Granted he's been pretty poor for us on the whole but I don't think you can really single him out this season, the whole team has been shit.

I'll defend the booing, and I'll stand up and stay I jeered him. More damage done by Stam taking him off than my jaunts. Stam's clueless; BBC Berks say he's a decent bloke, and I've not met him, but he's very clearly managed to get nothing out of this squad - his squad. The whole team has been pretty shit, as you say, and Barrow, who everyone's getting overexcited about had a soft pansy first half.

This lot are not fighting for results. They're not fighting for each other, certainly not the club / badge or anything like that. It just matters more to us than it clearly does to them. We get platitudes and all the right words from some of the players, but nothing when it counts.

The owners - I think they have a share in the new development in the car park (can anyone confirm) - the profits in that mean the football club is entirely incidental.

LOL, the football club is losing about £12m a year, that's not very incidental.

Whilst I have no intimate knowledge of the land deal, I can say from a lot of experience that a development that size will make a huge profit - given the land cost was c.£11M (IIRC).

A few years losing £12M a year will be an inconvenience but will be a drop in the ocean compared to the final profit figure. Plus they can bail out as and when they please. I'm not actually sure the Chinese are part of Royal Elm Park anyway. That would be the Thais, who as you know, jumped ship virtually to a man/woman as soon as the REP (RIP?) deal was finalised. The Chinese are Shopping Centre Developers and will have their eyes on the surrounding Retail Park.

[strap]

Would like some stats to know if this is heading towards our worse ever season at home. cant be far away surely?

Currently enjoying a rather pleasant night away with my good lady. Will post some
Stats when I get home tomorrow - although the stats showing just how bad the Dutch F U C K W I T Tw@t is just keep mounting! I doubt one more will make any difference!

Afternoon all. Didn't get too plastered last night with the good lady wife, so head not banging.

Some rather depressing stats as promised.

Our current home league record is W3 D4 L8 F14 A20. The fewest number of home wins in a 46 game league season is 7 in 1954/5 when we finished 18th. The fewest number of points in a 46 game season was Terry The Taxi's 97/98 vintage - W8 D4 L11 F27 A 31.

We have done worse though. 87/88 was 5-7-10-20-25 and 12/13 was 4-8-7-23-33.

The lowest number of goals scored at home in a 46 game season is 24 in 14/15, but have had 23 in 12/13, 20 in 87/88 and 19 in 07/08.

Our lowest ever highest league scorer in a season was Carl Asaba with 8 in Terry The Taxi's single season.

I wonder how many of these "records" we will "break" this season? Surely Barrow can get a couple more goals in the 16 games left? To not "beat" Terry's 8-4-11 we will need to somehow find 6 wins from our last 8 home games. That is NOT going to happen, so Terry will be relinquishing one record! He holds the record of most defeats at home in a league season with 11. If we lose 4 of our last 8 hmoe league games that's another record he'll give up to the Dutch F U C K W I T.

Given our last 8 home games are against :

Derby (currently 2nd)
Sheffield United (8th)
Bolton (20th)
Leeds (10th)
QPR (15th)
Preston (7th)
Sunderland (23rd)
and
Ipswich (12th)

I would say 4 defeats isn't exactly beyond the realms of possibility!

Sorry to bump this , but I have just discovered that the worst league run in our history for home defeats is 4 - Feb 54, Apr/May 89 and Feb 08.

If we fail to get a point v Derby on 24th Feb, the Dutch Master will have broken another RFC record. Wonder why it seems to be February that we produce these particular stinkers?

[Vision]

Those who were booing when Blackett had the ball are an absolute disgrace. Granted he's been pretty poor for us on the whole but I don't think you can really single him out this season, the whole team has been shit.

I'll defend the booing, and I'll stand up and stay I jeered him. More damage done by Stam taking him off than my jaunts. Stam's clueless; BBC Berks say he's a decent bloke, and I've not met him, but he's very clearly managed to get nothing out of this squad - his squad. The whole team has been pretty shit, as you say, and Barrow, who everyone's getting overexcited about had a soft pansy first half.

This lot are not fighting for results. They're not fighting for each other, certainly not the club / badge or anything like that. It just matters more to us than it clearly does to them. We get platitudes and all the right words from some of the players, but nothing when it counts.

The owners - I think they have a share in the new development in the car park (can anyone confirm) - the profits in that mean the football club is entirely incidental.

A couple of things here.

First. You clearly admit you jeered and booed an individual player . Presumably this was because you didn't want him on the pitch. So its a little odd that you'd then lambast Stam for taking him off because his confidence is shot, giving you exactly what you want. The fact that he was a substitute for a player who was taken off injured then pretty much limited Stam to one change left. Don't get me wrong personally I dont particularly want players that are so fragile that a little stick from the crowd affects their game but even so it's not something that's helping us as a team is it.

Second. That word "Passion" again. I'm loathe to criticise fans as we're the only buggers who pay to be in the ground. Everyone else is getting some recompense for being there but what do we hope to achieve with the negativity? The manager out? Fine but contrary to what many seem to think, the owners have clearly indicated they have a long term plan for the football side of things. In my opinion they just don't have the right people in place ( Stam and Tevrenden) to move it forward as they wish. But if fans believe if we got rid of those two that the intended style of play and set up will change then I fear they will be sadly disappointed.

In terms of the players fighting for each other and passion on the pitch, it was clearly in evidence at Burton on Tuesday night. So what was the difference between the two games? Perhaps because one was played in front of an atmosphere of encouragement and support whilst the other absolutely wasn't. Again these are very well paid professionals who should be strong enough mentally to cope but I'll ask again what do we think we're hoping to achieve by creating such a toxic atmosphere at our home grounds. Or heaven forbid by waving pants around at a game? Having a laugh and entertaining ourselves as we've not had that on the pitch for some time.? Fair enough that's our right as paying customers but do we really think it's helping.

The simple truth is that from the moment Stam came in there is a section of the fan base that were dead set against his playing style from the off and haven't let up. There was a significant sense of people "tolerating" last season's 3rd place and play off final rather than truly embracing it as a very good season. I'm not suggesting we should al be grateful we're not playing in front of 2000 in Division 4 as little old Reading but tolerating finishing 3rd and being a penalty kick away from the Premiership? Especially after the previous season's of decline.

Apologies for singling you out btw, I'm not really directing this at you personally but these are just my thoughts and yours seemed a reasonable enough post to address them on.

[Denver Royal]

I'll defend the booing, and I'll stand up and stay I jeered him. More damage done by Stam taking him off than my jaunts. Stam's clueless;

A couple of things here.

First. You clearly admit you jeered and booed an individual player . Presumably this was because you didn't want him on the pitch. So its a little odd that you'd then lambast Stam for taking him off because his confidence is shot, giving you exactly what you want. The fact that he was a substitute for a player who was taken off injured then pretty much limited Stam to one change left. Don't get me wrong personally I dont particularly want players that are so fragile that a little stick from the crowd affects their game but even so it's not something that's helping us as a team is it.

Second. That word "Passion" again. I'm loathe to criticise fans as we're the only buggers who pay to be in the ground. Everyone else is getting some recompense for being there but what do we hope to achieve with the negativity? The manager out? Fine but contrary to what many seem to think, the owners have clearly indicated they have a long term plan for the football side of things. In my opinion they just don't have the right people in place ( Stam and Tevrenden) to move it forward as they wish. But if fans believe if we got rid of those two that the intended style of play and set up will change then I fear they will be sadly disappointed.

In terms of the players fighting for each other and passion on the pitch, it was clearly in evidence at Burton on Tuesday night. So what was the difference between the two games? Perhaps because one was played in front of an atmosphere of encouragement and support whilst the other absolutely wasn't. Again these are very well paid professionals who should be strong enough mentally to cope but I'll ask again what do we think we're hoping to achieve by creating such a toxic atmosphere at our home grounds. Or heaven forbid by waving pants around at a game? Having a laugh and entertaining ourselves as we've not had that on the pitch for some time.? Fair enough that's our right as paying customers but do we really think it's helping.

The simple truth is that from the moment Stam came in there is a section of the fan base that were dead set against his playing style from the off and haven't let up. There was a significant sense of people "tolerating" last season's 3rd place and play off final rather than truly embracing it as a very good season. I'm not suggesting we should al be grateful we're not playing in front of 2000 in Division 4 as little old Reading but tolerating finishing 3rd and being a penalty kick away from the Premiership? Especially after the previous season's of decline.

Apologies for singling you out btw, I'm not really directing this at you personally but these are just my thoughts and yours seemed a reasonable enough post to address them on.

Very good post. And, so was this one:

You know, it's just a reality that most football fans are extremely fickle and the best thing that owners can do most of the time is ignore them. The sort of people who start crying about relegation when the club loses 3 games in a row but then sing about promotion when they win 3 games. Like the Arsenal fans who might as well just have half-and-half scarf of 'Wenger IN/Wenger OUT" to save themselves changing it ever other game.

Stam took a fairly mediocre squad last season and molded them into a team that could eek out results against almost all opposition. We achieved 3rd playing some fairly poor looking but effective football. We then over the summer lost our only striker, left back, our safe-as-houses goalkeeper and our main man in midfield. Surprise surprise we were then a bit sh*t.

Anyone that says Stam should have been fired in December is just going to want every manager fired at some point over a couple of seasons - the kind of thinking that made us fire McDermott both times. Now you could arguably make a case that it's time for him to go as the club is in awful form, mentality and slipping close to the relegation zone; but you could also make the argument that as long long as Stam keeps us above the fray it's worthwhile keeping him and seeing how we get on next season. Whether we finish 10th or 20th isn't really that important. Personally I would prefer a different style of play but then I'd also prefer a decent striker/attacking midfielder/left back etc etc

There's only three ways of getting a decent, attacking team in this division that doesn't get ripped apart on the counter attack. 1 - Spend £50m+, 2 - Get lucky with youth players 3 - Get lucky with bargain buys. If you know a manager who can do 2 or 3 then let us know . . . . .

[genome]

Chelsea fans sung "you're fcuking shit" at Bakayoko last night

Do we really want to be as bad as Chelsea fans?

[Hound]

Chelsea fans sung "you're fcuking shit" at Bakayoko last night

Do we really want to be as bad as Chelsea fans?

I thought most of us were apparently

[Denver Royal]

Chelsea fans sung "you're fcuking shit" at Bakayoko last night

Do we really want to be as bad as Chelsea fans?

Nah, and we as fans are striving to improve as fans, right? Everyone has a part to play. I mean, if the club is striving for improvement...and the manager is, and the coaches are, and the players, the trainers, physios, office and admin staff, and the grounds crew all are...

[leon]

I'll defend the booing, and I'll stand up and stay I jeered him. More damage done by Stam taking him off than my jaunts. Stam's clueless;

A couple of things here.

First. You clearly admit you jeered and booed an individual player . Presumably this was because you didn't want him on the pitch. So its a little odd that you'd then lambast Stam for taking him off because his confidence is shot, giving you exactly what you want. The fact that he was a substitute for a player who was taken off injured then pretty much limited Stam to one change left. Don't get me wrong personally I dont particularly want players that are so fragile that a little stick from the crowd affects their game but even so it's not something that's helping us as a team is it.

Second. That word "Passion" again. I'm loathe to criticise fans as we're the only buggers who pay to be in the ground. Everyone else is getting some recompense for being there but what do we hope to achieve with the negativity? The manager out? Fine but contrary to what many seem to think, the owners have clearly indicated they have a long term plan for the football side of things. In my opinion they just don't have the right people in place ( Stam and Tevrenden) to move it forward as they wish. But if fans believe if we got rid of those two that the intended style of play and set up will change then I fear they will be sadly disappointed.

In terms of the players fighting for each other and passion on the pitch, it was clearly in evidence at Burton on Tuesday night. So what was the difference between the two games? Perhaps because one was played in front of an atmosphere of encouragement and support whilst the other absolutely wasn't. Again these are very well paid professionals who should be strong enough mentally to cope but I'll ask again what do we think we're hoping to achieve by creating such a toxic atmosphere at our home grounds. Or heaven forbid by waving pants around at a game? Having a laugh and entertaining ourselves as we've not had that on the pitch for some time.? Fair enough that's our right as paying customers but do we really think it's helping.

The simple truth is that from the moment Stam came in there is a section of the fan base that were dead set against his playing style from the off and haven't let up. There was a significant sense of people "tolerating" last season's 3rd place and play off final rather than truly embracing it as a very good season. I'm not suggesting we should al be grateful we're not playing in front of 2000 in Division 4 as little old Reading but tolerating finishing 3rd and being a penalty kick away from the Premiership? Especially after the previous season's of decline.

Apologies for singling you out btw, I'm not really directing this at you personally but these are just my thoughts and yours seemed a reasonable enough post to address them on.

Very good post. And, so was this one:

You know, it's just a reality that most football fans are extremely fickle and the best thing that owners can do most of the time is ignore them. The sort of people who start crying about relegation when the club loses 3 games in a row but then sing about promotion when they win 3 games. Like the Arsenal fans who might as well just have half-and-half scarf of 'Wenger IN/Wenger OUT" to save themselves changing it ever other game.

Stam took a fairly mediocre squad last season and molded them into a team that could eek out results against almost all opposition. We achieved 3rd playing some fairly poor looking but effective football. We then over the summer lost our only striker, left back, our safe-as-houses goalkeeper and our main man in midfield. Surprise surprise we were then a bit sh*t.

Anyone that says Stam should have been fired in December is just going to want every manager fired at some point over a couple of seasons - the kind of thinking that made us fire McDermott both times. Now you could arguably make a case that it's time for him to go as the club is in awful form, mentality and slipping close to the relegation zone; but you could also make the argument that as long long as Stam keeps us above the fray it's worthwhile keeping him and seeing how we get on next season. Whether we finish 10th or 20th isn't really that important. Personally I would prefer a different style of play but then I'd also prefer a decent striker/attacking midfielder/left back etc etc

There's only three ways of getting a decent, attacking team in this division that doesn't get ripped apart on the counter attack. 1 - Spend £50m+, 2 - Get lucky with youth players 3 - Get lucky with bargain buys. If you know a manager who can do 2 or 3 then let us know . . . . .

Who honestly thinks Reading fans are a seething hotbed of hatred? Really?

It takes a lot, especially nowadays, to rile what is a pretty unassuming bunch.

20 years ago we’d have all been on the pitch.

[genome]

It was a bit easier to do that at Elm Park though

[Vision]

A couple of things here.

First. You clearly admit you jeered and booed an individual player . Presumably this was because you didn't want him on the pitch. So its a little odd that you'd then lambast Stam for taking him off because his confidence is shot, giving you exactly what you want. The fact that he was a substitute for a player who was taken off injured then pretty much limited Stam to one change left. Don't get me wrong personally I dont particularly want players that are so fragile that a little stick from the crowd affects their game but even so it's not something that's helping us as a team is it.

Second. That word "Passion" again. I'm loathe to criticise fans as we're the only buggers who pay to be in the ground. Everyone else is getting some recompense for being there but what do we hope to achieve with the negativity? The manager out? Fine but contrary to what many seem to think, the owners have clearly indicated they have a long term plan for the football side of things. In my opinion they just don't have the right people in place ( Stam and Tevrenden) to move it forward as they wish. But if fans believe if we got rid of those two that the intended style of play and set up will change then I fear they will be sadly disappointed.

In terms of the players fighting for each other and passion on the pitch, it was clearly in evidence at Burton on Tuesday night. So what was the difference between the two games? Perhaps because one was played in front of an atmosphere of encouragement and support whilst the other absolutely wasn't. Again these are very well paid professionals who should be strong enough mentally to cope but I'll ask again what do we think we're hoping to achieve by creating such a toxic atmosphere at our home grounds. Or heaven forbid by waving pants around at a game? Having a laugh and entertaining ourselves as we've not had that on the pitch for some time.? Fair enough that's our right as paying customers but do we really think it's helping.

The simple truth is that from the moment Stam came in there is a section of the fan base that were dead set against his playing style from the off and haven't let up. There was a significant sense of people "tolerating" last season's 3rd place and play off final rather than truly embracing it as a very good season. I'm not suggesting we should al be grateful we're not playing in front of 2000 in Division 4 as little old Reading but tolerating finishing 3rd and being a penalty kick away from the Premiership? Especially after the previous season's of decline.

Apologies for singling you out btw, I'm not really directing this at you personally but these are just my thoughts and yours seemed a reasonable enough post to address them on.

Very good post. And, so was this one:

You know, it's just a reality that most football fans are extremely fickle and the best thing that owners can do most of the time is ignore them. The sort of people who start crying about relegation when the club loses 3 games in a row but then sing about promotion when they win 3 games. Like the Arsenal fans who might as well just have half-and-half scarf of 'Wenger IN/Wenger OUT" to save themselves changing it ever other game.

Stam took a fairly mediocre squad last season and molded them into a team that could eek out results against almost all opposition. We achieved 3rd playing some fairly poor looking but effective football. We then over the summer lost our only striker, left back, our safe-as-houses goalkeeper and our main man in midfield. Surprise surprise we were then a bit sh*t.

Anyone that says Stam should have been fired in December is just going to want every manager fired at some point over a couple of seasons - the kind of thinking that made us fire McDermott both times. Now you could arguably make a case that it's time for him to go as the club is in awful form, mentality and slipping close to the relegation zone; but you could also make the argument that as long long as Stam keeps us above the fray it's worthwhile keeping him and seeing how we get on next season. Whether we finish 10th or 20th isn't really that important. Personally I would prefer a different style of play but then I'd also prefer a decent striker/attacking midfielder/left back etc etc

There's only three ways of getting a decent, attacking team in this division that doesn't get ripped apart on the counter attack. 1 - Spend £50m+, 2 - Get lucky with youth players 3 - Get lucky with bargain buys. If you know a manager who can do 2 or 3 then let us know . . . . .

Who honestly thinks Reading fans are a seething hotbed of hatred? Really?

It takes a lot, especially nowadays, to rile what is a pretty unassuming bunch.

20 years ago we’d have all been on the pitch.

No-one. That's why no-one that I can see has said we are.

My point ( well one of them ) is that it's pretty counterproductive to dish out stick to an individual player every time he touches the ball especially one who was only brought onto the pitch to replace another injured one. It's really not going to help anyone.

I mean as I said we're the only buggers who pay to be there so do what you want but booing individual players while the game is going on and now the possible return of waving pants? It's all a bit pathetic in my view.

At least a pitch invasion (generally) takes place once the game s over.

[Jaytee]

Rather upsetting on Sunday when at the till in Sainsbury's when the lady looked at the badge on my coat and said "you must be the only Reading Supporter left".
Reading citizens fail to understand - its football - someone wins and someone loses. Short memories , fickleness and ignorance abound in this boomtown that we live in.

We cannot even raise a mere 20,000 to a game but bleat that we are not a City.

I think I will boycott the town or just stand in the Oracle and boo people walking by then go to football and support the team.

[leon]

Very good post. And, so was this one:

Who honestly thinks Reading fans are a seething hotbed of hatred? Really?

It takes a lot, especially nowadays, to rile what is a pretty unassuming bunch.

20 years ago we’d have all been on the pitch.

No-one. That's why no-one that I can see has said we are.

My point ( well one of them ) is that it's pretty counterproductive to dish out stick to an individual player every time he touches the ball especially one who was only brought onto the pitch to replace another injured one. It's really not going to help anyone.

I mean as I said we're the only buggers who pay to be there so do what you want but booing individual players while the game is going on and now the possible return of waving pants? It's all a bit pathetic in my view.

At least a pitch invasion (generally) takes place once the game s over.

It was more a comment on the hysteria around Blackett getting booed by a few people.