[Albion] Reading v Sheffield United (Attendance)

[theroyal]

Similar situation to Arsenal? In terms of a support base that seems to think it has a right to a certain level of success I guess.

In Reading's case that is based on a relatively recent and previously unprecedented expansion in interest (i.e. since the new stadium). There's nothing really to boycott is there beyond things not going as well on the pitch as you want? There has been investment, quite a big investment last year. It's not as if you've sold a load of players and see the beginning of an asset strip is it? Looks like new world football problems to me and a support base that is uncommitted. A natural return to the original club following is all. Some genuine Reading fans will embrace that I'd imagine. You sound like you might be one of those?

I think you'll be hard-pressed to find any Reading fan that thinks the club have a "right to success". That's just ridiculous. There are expectations and ambitions, but a "right"? That's just untrue.

Reading were slowly but surely built up by a local man in Madejski, never spent astronomical amounts of money (until Aluko our record signing was £2.5m) - invested in the right areas, the right personnel and eventually we got our break. We were a club doing things the right way. Then in 2012 we were sold to a Russian who had no money, nearly went into administration when he literally scarpered, before we were sold onto a Thai consortium whose only goal was to sell the land around the stadium before selling us on again. Now we have Chinese owners who, while they gave Stam some money in the summer - we haven't heard a peep out of, and don't seem bothered by the situation at the club.

Now we have older fans who are alienated by the changes in the club's ownership philosophy, and younger fans who are not used to us struggling on the pitch. It's something that has been slow-burning over the last 5 years or so. After last season we were all hopeful that we'd started to turn it round, but we've gone spectacularly backwards and it's really depressing.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I think the one thing we hope doesn't happen along the Reading model is that the support dwindles if were back in say the bottom half of the Championship.

But given the Amex crowds even in the Hyypia shambles, I just don't think that's going to happen and we would get 25,000 whatever.

 

[Munkfish]

I think the one thing we hope doesn't happen along the Reading model is that the support dwindles if were back in say the bottom half of the Championship.

But given the Amex crowds even in the Hyypia shambles, I just don't think that's going to happen and we would get 25,000 whatever.

Deluded. Hyypia season we were off the back of a playoff season and still riding the new bubble wave of having a ground.

 

[ozzygull]

I think you'll be hard-pressed to find any Reading fan that thinks the club have a "right to success". That's just ridiculous. There are expectations and ambitions, but a "right"? That's just untrue.

Reading were slowly but surely built up by a local man in Madejski, never spent astronomical amounts of money (until Aluko our record signing was £2.5m) - invested in the right areas, the right personnel and eventually we got our break. We were a club doing things the right way. Then in 2012 we were sold to a Russian who had no money, nearly went into administration when he literally scarpered, before we were sold onto a Thai consortium whose only goal was to sell the land around the stadium before selling us on again. Now we have Chinese owners who, while they gave Stam some money in the summer - we haven't heard a peep out of, and don't seem bothered by the situation at the club.

Now we have older fans who are alienated by the changes in the club's ownership philosophy, and younger fans who are not used to us struggling on the pitch. It's something that has been slow-burning over the last 5 years or so. After last season we were all hopeful that we'd started to turn it round, but we've gone spectacularly backwards and it's really depressing.

John Madejski did brilliantly for Reading and the local community, it was really a club that local people and Reading supporters had a right to feel proud, as you say you were doing things the correct way. Unfortunately for you the money that is needed to run a club even a Championship is beyond his wealth, and that has left you vulnerable to foreign owners that either do not understand the culture of English football or worse see it of a way to make money. Their lack of connection means that protests are less effective because they don't have to even be in the same country. If you really feel that there is an issue with the owners of Reading, then you need to start, if you have not already, getting organised about how you go about getting rid.

As much as I find "That" song funny and the premature pitch invasion hilarious, if Reading fans were protesting against the owners with a genuine gripe, then I will join you as will many Brighton fans because we are all football supporters who know what it is like to care about a local team.

 

[theroyal]

19,770 on Saturday (3,400 Leeds).

Maybe we're just allergic to midweek football.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Deluded. Hyypia season we were off the back of a playoff season and still riding the new bubble wave of having a ground.

and 22k season ticket holders?