Ex Royals (No not prince Andrew)

[Sutekh]

Sad news. Former striker Francis Joseph has died at the age of 62. RIP.

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news ... y-aged-62/

[From Despair To Where?]

A player with the unenviable task of replacing Kevin Bremner.

He was crap for us but had a decent career and, of course scored on his first game back at Elm Park after leaving.

R.I.P

[Mid Sussex Royal]

A player with the unenviable task of replacing Kevin Bremner.

He was crap for us but had a decent career and, of course scored on his first game back at Elm Park after leaving.

R.I.P

Scored an amazing goal at Shrewsbury in about his second game for us

[From Despair To Where?]

A player with the unenviable task of replacing Kevin Bremner.

He was crap for us but had a decent career and, of course scored on his first game back at Elm Park after leaving.

R.I.P

Scored an amazing goal at Shrewsbury in about his second game for us

I was there. It was my first away game. Decent finish from about 10yds. Amazing is over egging it a bit, maybe, albeit we were the other end of the ground, all 40 Reading fans who made the trip on a wet Tuesday night.

[grey_squirrel]

I’m pretty sure Francis Joseph was signed pre-season 1987 as a Gang of Four. Colin Gordon and Linden Jones included. But I can’t remember the fourth. If indeed there was a fourth?

[Sutekh]

I’m pretty sure Francis Joseph was signed pre-season 1987 as a Gang of Four. Colin Gordon and Linden Jones included. But I can’t remember the fourth. If indeed there was a fourth?

Steve Wood, Kevin Bremner and Trevor Senior all went in the summer of 87.

As replacements Reading signed went down a cheap route and signed Colin Gordon (about £80k from Wimbledon), Francis Joseph (around £20k from Brentford) and Paul Franklin (free from Watford). Linden Jones I think arrived a bit later (from Newport) than those 3 and was different in that he actually looked pretty decent and went on to make about 150 appearances in his 3 seasons. Paul Franklin I think was pretty much deemed “surplus to requirements” within a couple of months leading the club to go out and make the then record signing of Keith Curle from Bristol C for £150k.

[Ascotexgunner]

Didn't know Mariappa was still playing....scored a late one for Burton against Plymouth today.

[Uke]

I’m pretty sure Francis Joseph was signed pre-season 1987 as a Gang of Four. Colin Gordon and Linden Jones included. But I can’t remember the fourth. If indeed there was a fourth?

Steve Wood, Kevin Bremner and Trevor Senior all went in the summer of 87.

As replacements Reading signed went down a cheap route and signed Colin Gordon (about £80k from Wimbledon), Francis Joseph (around £20k from Brentford) and Paul Franklin (free from Watford). Linden Jones I think arrived a bit later (from Newport) than those 3 and was different in that he actually looked pretty decent and went on to make about 150 appearances in his 3 seasons. Paul Franklin I think was pretty much deemed “surplus to requirements” within a couple of months leading the club to go out and make the then record signing of Keith Curle from Bristol C for £150k.

Linden was worth it for that match (and the Simon Cup)

[grey_squirrel]

I’m pretty sure Francis Joseph was signed pre-season 1987 as a Gang of Four. Colin Gordon and Linden Jones included. But I can’t remember the fourth. If indeed there was a fourth?

Steve Wood, Kevin Bremner and Trevor Senior all went in the summer of 87.

As replacements Reading signed went down a cheap route and signed Colin Gordon (about £80k from Wimbledon), Francis Joseph (around £20k from Brentford) and Paul Franklin (free from Watford). Linden Jones I think arrived a bit later (from Newport) than those 3 and was different in that he actually looked pretty decent and went on to make about 150 appearances in his 3 seasons. Paul Franklin I think was pretty much deemed “surplus to requirements” within a couple of months leading the club to go out and make the then record signing of Keith Curle from Bristol C for £150k.

Yes that was the other. Paul Franklin.

Keith Curle I’ll always remember just shortly after his signing he was the only one who seemed bothered about our relegation, throwing his boots off in the centre circle. Still don’t blame him so soon after he signed for us.

[grey_squirrel]

Didn't know Mariappa was still playing....scored a late one for Burton against Plymouth today.

Mariappa = mercenary. Doesn’t care where the money, erroneously, comes from. Never will. More fool the likes of us.

[bcubed]

Didn't know Mariappa was still playing....scored a late one for Burton against Plymouth today.

Mariappa = mercenary. Doesn’t care where the money, erroneously, comes from. Never will. More fool the likes of us.

A rare goal for him

Always liked his song too.

[Hendo]

Didn't know Mariappa was still playing....scored a late one for Burton against Plymouth today.

Mariappa = mercenary. Doesn’t care where the money, erroneously, comes from. Never will. More fool the likes of us.

Odd comment, seeing as that would apply to ~95% of footballers.

[Snowflake Royal]

Didn't know Mariappa was still playing....scored a late one for Burton against Plymouth today.

Mariappa = mercenary. Doesn’t care where the money, erroneously, comes from. Never will. More fool the likes of us.

Odd comment, seeing as that would apply to ~95% of footballers.

Yeah weird. Good player.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Bit of agreement with g_s’s comment.

Signed up for commencement of our last Prem league season, promptly left following our relegation.

Possibly not even his ‘fault’ (maybe, just having a good agent) but it came across as a bit “mercenary” to some of us.

[Sutekh]

Bit of agreement with g_s’s comment.

Signed up for commencement of our last Prem league season, promptly left following our relegation.

Possibly not even his ‘fault’ (maybe, just having a good agent) but it came across as a bit “mercenary” to some of us.

Can’t really blame him though, he did move to Palace who had just been promoted to the PL so what would you expect of any player?

[AthleticoSpizz]

Exactly that.

…and that’s where the problem was.

(a little mis-guided perception said, that if Palace had got relegated, he would've been off to the next low-rent promoted team)….maybe…..he's not the first nor last obvs.

[Royality creeps In]

I see Saeid Ezatolahi could play for Iran vs 3 Lions tomorrow

[JedMaxwell]

You could argue Mariappa did the club a favour by getting off the wage bill after relegation...

It's a shame it didn't work for Ezatolahi here, he looked very good in patches. Hope he does play today, we'll likely get a mention on commentary.

[Sutekh]

You could argue Mariappa did the club a favour by getting off the wage bill after relegation...

It's a shame it didn't work for Ezatolahi here, he looked very good in patches. Hope he does play today, we'll likely get a mention on commentary.

Think many actually thought he’d be a good signing to make permanently as he largely looked the part at this level in the 4 apps he did make before the “Great Reading Injury Curse” struck him down.

[muirinho]

Bit of agreement with g_s’s comment.

Signed up for commencement of our last Prem league season, promptly left following our relegation.

Possibly not even his ‘fault’ (maybe, just having a good agent) but it came across as a bit “mercenary” to some of us.

Sold him for nearly as much as we bought him for, got his PL wages off the books, if he'd turned down that opportunity people would be castigating him for stealing the clubs money by wanting an easier life in the Championship, or some other such nonsense.

But yeah, he's a bit 'mercenary'