Reading Roars!

Yesterday’s result wasn’t bad, was it?

Reading’s 2-1 defeat of Liverpool, knocking them out of the FA Cup, was an historic achievement.  It was not as great as the Royals’ first victory against Rafa’s side (when Liverpool lost 3-1 in December 2007), but it was the more significant of the two. 

For a start, the encounter was at Anfield, a challenging and iconic venue.  The second reason is that both teams are going through difficult seasons at the moment.  Both are needing to win games.

After the final whistle blew last night, it’s now looking as if Reading have that important injection of confidence and Liverpool are staring forlornly into the abyss. 

Indeed, something appears to be very broken in Liverpool’s case (and I don’t think sacking the manager will change things).  They don’t seem to be having much luck this season, either: three of their key players were injured during yesterday’s game.   Ouch.  I do feel for their fans.  

Regrettably, I was unable to follow the game live.  I would have liked to have followed Reading Post reporter Jonny Fordham’s entertaining tweets, such as this one to treasure: “@CllrDaisyBenson Cannot believe it, amazing, possibly one of the best nights ever“.  Instead, news of Reading’s “shock” win came to me early this morning on Facebook.

I’m not very good at writing match reports, so here’s the YouTube video instead (quick, before it’s removed):

European champions Barcelona will be training for a week in late July at Bisham Abbey, near Reading, before taking part in the Wembley Cup tournament, writes the Telegraph.

A few days later, Barça’s old nemesis Chelsea, now managed by Carlo Ancelotti, will meet Reading at the Madejski for a pre-season friendly, according to the Reading Post.

I’m going to be working backwards for the time being, leaving things I should have covered weeks ago last (one advantage is that these posts will then appear at the top).

I will begin by saying farewell, Steve Coppell, Reading FC’s managerial magician.  I’m not convinced that now is the time to step down, however.  All clubs (and fans) suffer the occasional disappointment.  At least one more season, I would have thought, as the Royals were so close.  Why not? There can’t be that many better managers about.

Recommendation time.  A new Reading FC blog, 106 Points and 99 Goals, has been launched by Royals fan Steve Morris.  As Steve explains, the blog is:

Filling a gap on the Interweb for Reading FC reports, opinion, rumour, conjecture, wit and general arsery

On the subject of general arsery, Reading crashed to a 2-0 defeat yesterday against Ipswich Town.  The glory days, it seems, are well and truly over.

I have found top-drawer musical talent in Reading - via YouTube.  Watch this brilliant video posted by the classically-named schubert06.  Lyrics follow.

Why did Fulham have to score?
Only twenty minutes more and we’d have kept the hoards at bay.
Or some other Lita strikes and we’d have lived again to fight
Because goal difference wouldn’t matter anymore.

Our dreams have vanished — just like Sidwell, Chelsea bound.

And I’m sad. I’m so sad…

Oh Royal Reading what are we supposed to do?
The pride of Berkshire, led by Murty - we love you.
Steve Coppell’s army singing in the White and Blue…

In old Division Two.

We know Madejski will be there, we know he cares.
He’s got big hair and we will never let him down.
We face the future without malice
Although we must play Palace near unsightly Croydon Town!
Our dreams are drenched in a Purple Turtle rain

And we’re sad, we’re so sad…

Oh Royal Reading what are we supposed to do?
The pride of Berkshire, led by Murty - we’ll stay true.
Steve Coppell’s army singing in the White and Blue

In the White and Blue…in old Division Two.

A long dark shadow has been cast across Reading, clouding the tremendous, and most unseasonal, Spring sunshine. 

After a glorious spell in the top flight of English football, Reading players saw their fairy tale end this afternoon, despite hammering four past Derby (surely the most atrocious team in Premier League history).

It’s now confirmed: the Royals are indeed relegated.  It was close, but deserved, in my opinion.  They have had a painful year.

So now what?  With the excitement over, now is the time for serious questions and sensible planning, even if that entails a whole new project.  No more niceties now.  Think Sir Alan and The Boardroom. 

About a year ago, the club chief executive Nigel Howe said that the club had the potential to be bigger than Arsenal, even describing getting into the Champions League as “achievable”.  He acknowledged that it would require a few years to realise this ambition.  Based on what I saw this season, it’s going to take a lot more than a few years. 

I believe that a reality check is in order.  Madejski has done wonders for the club and he is right in seeking a rich buyer (how else can a club compete these days?), but “filthy” rich?  Finding a billionaire interested in Reading will not be easy.  For a start, there aren’t that many billionaires about (despite that the club has grown in recent years) and then there’s Reading’s investment potential.  It’s all very good talking about the Reading “brand” but ultimately silverware is what matters most.  A few more trophies - or near enough - and corresponding bums on seats will help in growing Reading’s allure.

The Premier League was a tremendous experience for the club and there is no doubt in my mind that they will be back there, though a few years may pass before this happens (the Championship is no walk in the park, lest we forget).  We will all have to be a little patient.

It has been a week since my last post.  Even longer since my last post about things other than trains.   Here’s one on football.

Reading FC’s John Madejski has become the latest footballing notable to rail (oops, train reference there) against the Premiership’s so-called “Game 39″ proposal (a plan that would see games played overseas). Madejski said:

I just feel more consultation should have gone on behind closed doors.  It’s already been consigned to the trash bin. I don’t think it’s going to grow legs now. There are too many people against it. It does have merit, though, but it should be an exhibition game rather than a league game because it is good for the Premier League to be exported abroad.

We should cherish the Premier League we have and do everything we can to sustain it. It’s nothing to do with money, it’s being able to deliver the Premier League on the doorstep of countries that hitherto have never seen it.

Obviously what I am concerned about is that, when all is said and done, the Premier League is run by the top five clubs. You can see it’s all tied up and I do believe there is a sort of pact there but, if it’s not broken, why fix it?

Looking at his club’s current form on the pitch, I don’t think Madejski has too much to worry about.

As for seasoned Madejski basher Oliver Holt’s latest unimpressive comments in The Mirror (headline: “Ramblin’ Royally“): once again unforgivable.  What is his problem?!:

In the course of a rambling radio interview on Sunday morning, Reading chairman John Madejski suggested that maybe it would be better if Premier League clubs just played a couple of exhibition games abroad rather than a 39th match.

It had obviously slipped the mind of the Royals’ chairman that Premier League clubs are already playing exhibition matches abroad. Have been for years.

Dear old John. Go and sit down with a couple of celebs. Better still, name a new room after yourself at the Tate Gallery. You’ll soon feel better.

Readers, you may be interested in viewing Holt’s Wikipedia entry.  View it, but no more than that.  Asking you to also deface it would just be irresponsible.

Reading’s perilous league position following 8 successive defeats (ouch) has forced the club to rethink their stadium plan.  The Madejski was to be expanded to 38,000, but that’s been put on hold.  Nigel Howe, the club’s chief exec explained:

We have always built this club on sensible foundations and that’s what we are doing again here. From day one, we’ve said there’s no point expanding if we don’t maintain our place in the Premier League. We will revisit things once we know where we are at the end of this season and make a plan accordingly

To ensure that Reading FC do maintain their place in the Premier League, Nigel has called for “positive defiance” (sounds like business-speak for positive thinking). Time to bring back Uri Geller?

Reading FC’s Dave Kitson, I see, was featured in another broadsheet sports section on Saturday. 

According to the article From Tavern to Tottenham via Sainsbury’s on the Dave Kitson road to stardom in The Times, bidding for the striker, who is now the highest-scoring Englishman in the Premiership (as known, I’m sure, by Akaju sesli sohbetFabio), would start at £20 million (when he joined the Royals in 2003 he cost £300k).  [As pointed out by a reader, the £20 million would be for Berbatov, rather than Kitson.]

Interestingly, Kitson and I both used to work at Sainsbury’s and we both have ginger hair (not much, in my case, as I lost most of it when I was younger).  The comparisons end there.  Obviously.

An interview with Dave Kitson, Royal who will never be king of the castle, appeared in The Guardian’s sport section today in which the Reading FC striker revealed a remarkably modest character.  Premiership footballers are getting a bit of criticism these days (quite rightly) for shameful behaviour off the pitch.  Players such as Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas and Kitson stand out for being, well, refreshingly different.

Kitson explains:

I don’t own a car.  I refuse to shell out the amount of money for a car that I should be worthy of having at this level. If I spent more than £10,000 on a car, if you could see where I came from, and you could see what my dad is driving around in and you could see my friends who I used to play football with driving around in their Sky vans, it just wouldn’t be right. I’m no better than any of those.

Some of those players were 10 times the player I was. I got lucky. If I went back into my neighbourhood in a Porsche or a Bentley there would be hell to pay. That’s just cars. I have no jewellery. I don’t wear any chains or any watches. I wear plain clothes, no logos. I don’t have a boot deal - I refuse to have one. I am just happy going along and being me and I really don’t want to be that fella what I see every day. I really want to avoid it

In the unlikely event that you are reading this, Fabio, I urge you to consider Kitson for England.