BFTF ...Some hazy blobs...(H)

[AthleticoSpizz]

Yeah but the game is about the supporters....not the players

Thousands of folk unnecessarily out of pocket

[paultheroyal]

Yeah but the game is about the supporters....not the players

Thousands of folk unnecessarily out of pocket

It's about the game and if it's a game that cannot be officiated properly you have no game. No arguments if they left the pitch at 40 mins. The big issue is the "fake" game for last five minutes knowing the decision was already made and no checking 15 mins later.

[AthleticoSpizz]

quite

A ten minute delayed start to the 2nd half would've been the common sensical approach

However this is.....

[Sutekh]

Understandable decision really. The linesmen were having dfficulty seeing the far side of the pitch and Fulham's kit wasn't helping that (apparently). It should have been called off at about 30 minutes when it was getting really bad but they decided to carry on for some obscure reason.

If the game had restarted the fog could well have come back worse (it had been lifting and returning throughout) and the game called off later. It was obvious that the officials were having problems looking across the pitch so offsides and incidents on the far side may well have been difficult for them to identify confidently - and imagine the stick they'd have got if one team won the game through a poor offside decision missed/given because of the weather.

As to the game, Harriott is not a wing back. Reading looked to be struggling but had the best two chances Fredericks is ******* quick and there is also a rumour that Reading actually played "spotlight" keepers tonight as I couldn't see a keeper at our end of the pitch.

Reminds me of that story of the Reading keeper being left alone on the pitch at Tranmere(?) about 80 years ago when the ref abandoned the game due to thick fog but but no-one got the message to him and he was left waiting for the next appear to appear out of the gloom....

[Winston Smith]

Does that go down as a false first half?

[Winston Smith]

A whole lot of wise-after-the-event type folk on here tonight.

I couldn't see the other side of the penalty area from my seat in the East. Was surprised it made it to HT tbh.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Understandable decision really. The linesmen were having dfficulty seeing the far side of the pitch and Fulham's kit wasn't helping that (apparently). It should have been called off at about 30 minutes when it was getting really bad but they decided to carry on for some obscure reason.

If the game had restarted the fog could well have come back worse (it had been lifting and returning throughout) and the game called off later. It was obvious that the officials were having problems looking across the pitch so offsides and incidents on the far side may well have been difficult for them to identify confidently - and imagine the stick they'd have got if one team won the game through a poor offside decision missed/given because of the weather.

As to the game, Harriott is not a wing back. Reading looked to be struggling but had the best two chances Fredericks is ******* quick and there is also a rumour that Reading actually played "spotlight" keepers tonight as I couldn't see a keeper at our end of the pitch.

Reminds me of that story of the Reading keeper being left alone on the pitch at Tranmere(?) about 80 years ago when the ref abandoned the game due to thick fog but but no-one got the message to him and he was left waiting for the next appear to appear out of the gloom....

yes..the game could've been called off later....had it been necessary.....it wasn't

Nothing much more is relevant

[RG7Fan]

The scene at the Mad Stad. I can't see a fcuking thing.

When did you take that picture then? Cant have been tonight unless there was a rugby match on ...

I agree it should have been canned at the 30 min mark (or thereabouts), very confused by the decision just at the start of 2nd half (especially as it had lifted quite a lot). To be honest I think it might be a blessing in disguise - I couldn't see us winning that. Yeah we had 2 very good chances, but a lot of the time I felt we were pressured and looked like conceding. Still, it was better than a few weeks back.

What's the replay ticket position? I assume season tickets are covered, but I heard on BBRC that its 1/2 price due to a FL rule. I wasn't sure if that was a "you must charge at least 1/2 price" or "you can charge no more than 1/2 price". Personally I think it should be free for the people who bought tickets for today.

If anyone else wants to pitch up at the replay then they can pay. Given that ticket money accounts for not very much I'm sure the club could do that, and if the league want their cut then we should pay them anyway. It would garner far more good feeling and loyalty from the fans, who might just buy a few more beers and pies because of it.

Love the way the BBC is showing it as abandoned after 50 minutes - did I miss 5 minutes of the second half after we all buggered off?

[RG7Fan]

Reminds me of that story of the Reading keeper being left alone on the pitch at Tranmere(?) about 80 years ago when the ref abandoned the game due to thick fog but but no-one got the message to him and he was left waiting for the next appear to appear out of the gloom....

I heard this from RG7jr today but his story wasn't a Reading game, it was a Chelsea game (I think 1936 was mentioned, which would fit time line wise). Maybe its just one of those old folklore stories that has been twisted for all clubs. A bit like the wedding speech where the best man gets the bride and groom to play Mr and Mrs and there are some strange answers. You can look that up but I have had 2 people tell me that they have witnessed this at a wedding.

[Royal Ginger]

A whole lot of wise-after-the-event type folk on here tonight.

I couldn't see the other side of the penalty area from my seat in the East. Was surprised it made it to HT tbh.

Yeah, this really, and the comment about Fulham's kit was correct too, they were even harder to spot.

At it's worst most in the ED stand watched the ball disappear southwest into the gloom. All the heads remained facing that way until they all turned in unison with surprise as Fredricks came bombing down the East touchline with Harriott in tow.

It wasn't suitable for football.

[Muskrat]

The scene at the Mad Stad. I can't see a fcuking thing.

When did you take that picture then? Cant have been tonight unless there was a rugby match on ...

I agree it should have been canned at the 30 min mark (or thereabouts), very confused by the decision just at the start of 2nd half (especially as it had lifted quite a lot). To be honest I think it might be a blessing in disguise - I couldn't see us winning that. Yeah we had 2 very good chances, but a lot of the time I felt we were pressured and looked like conceding. Still, it was better than a few weeks back.

What's the replay ticket position? I assume season tickets are covered, but I heard on BBRC that its 1/2 price due to a FL rule. I wasn't sure if that was a "you must charge at least 1/2 price" or "you can charge no more than 1/2 price". Personally I think it should be free for the people who bought tickets for today.

If anyone else wants to pitch up at the replay then they can pay. Given that ticket money accounts for not very much I'm sure the club could do that, and if the league want their cut then we should pay them anyway. It would garner far more good feeling and loyalty from the fans, who might just buy a few more beers and pies because of it.

Love the way the BBC is showing it as abandoned after 50 minutes - did I miss 5 minutes of the second half after we all buggered off?

The Rugger Buggers play tomorrow so that's why the posts are up I'd imagine.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Should have been cancelled in the afternoon. Like Brighton was

[rob_dawson]

Should have been cancelled in the afternoon. Like Brighton was

Really think this is correct.

It was bad in bracknell where I was. But I'd also heard it was bad around areas of Reading.

Person on radio said about people not hearing the message or unable to turn around but they are really in the minority.

Easy in hindsight etc...

About 2 hours before the game I started frequent checks or #readingfc on twatter. That was before Brightons news. I half thought it may have been called off.

[download]

It would really help if the officials could be given the opportunity to explain the reasons rather than leave it up to speculation or the poor chap on the tannoy try to explain.

If this was with the press, they could reasonably put the point, did you check outside just before the second half, could you have waited another 10 minutes, why didn't you abandon after the two consultations that you had, was it because the Fulham bench put you under such a lot of pressure, etc, etc.

They may have just c@cked up, and then at least they could say so, or provide a reason that perhaps leave some of us leaving slightly less annoyed.

[Woodcote Royal]

Was at the last game that was cancelled at half time so know how most of you feel but it's clear this is a very deliberate process.

"Hey guys, can you see across the pitch to call offside? No? Ok this is over at the interval"

Give the heads up in good time to those who need to know, blow the whistle and disappear down the tunnel with everyone full of hope that the match will be completed when the decision to abandon has already been taken.

Football is all about referees in their eyes we are just the plebs.

Having said that, if we get to play them with a full strength defence I don't think we'll be disappointed in May.

[marlowuk]

I agree with the general tenor of the posts on here. The game could have been abandoned earlier but by the time it was announced as abandoned the fog had significantly dispersed. I drove home in zero fog!!

But I don't understand the 2 minutes added on time we played after the first half. We had two delays to discuss the weather, both of which were longer than two minutes!!

And, if the decision had been made immediately after the first half, why was Paul McShane warming up on the pitch during the half-time break?

Still - it gives us more time to get Swift and McShane and Obita (and Rakells?) back to full fitness before meeting them again. Fulham are a good side - better than their league position suggests - and we will need to be at the top of our game to beat them.

[Delboy]

Anyone know the attendance looked like 20000!

[Royal Ginger]

Still - it gives us more time to get Swift and McShane and Obita (and Rakells?) back to full fitness before meeting them again. Fulham are a good side - better than their league position suggests - and we will need to be at the top of our game to beat them.

Yes it does, but on the flip side Callum Harriott is now injured with nothing to show for it.

[paultheroyal]

And, if the decision had been made immediately after the first half, why was Paul McShane warming up on the pitch during the half-time break?

He was warming down - HTH.

[Winston Smith]

Still - it gives us more time to get Swift and McShane and Obita (and Rakells?) back to full fitness before meeting them again. Fulham are a good side - better than their league position suggests - and we will need to be at the top of our game to beat them.

Yes it does, but on the flip side Callum Harriott is now injured with nothing to show for it.

The injury gets overturned when the game is abandoned.