Fri 19th/Sat 20th fixtures

[Bartonyellow]

Awful again today. We're so far off Bolton, it's frightening. Yes, they've got a bigger budget than us but they're still in the same division, so we should at least be competitive. We had a moderate go in the second half but it was too little, too late. A result that reflects our season. Lots of huff and puff, but zero quality at both ends and no real fight.

Any team that finishes below the woeful Burton team deserves to go down. But they did what a lot of teams other than Vale do in these situations and put up a fight. Throughout my entire 35 years of watching Vale, we have very rarely put in that shock result.

I'm glad it's over. I'm sick of losing all the time and us not even competing against teams of a similar size or smaller than us. Huge summer ahead because we've seen many teams similar to us fall straight out of the league. If we do, we're done as a football club.

The question will be whether or not Moore is the man to lead you back.
We all probably thought he would have got an impact since he joined but apart from beating the woeful burton it’s been pretty poor.

 

[nelsonpfc]

We played like we were hungover in the first half, but stepped up in the 2nd. Sam Tickle won Wigan that match. Made some outstanding saves to win them that match. Deserved a draw, but no criticism as the lads have put in a hell of a shift this season. Lincoln will beat us next week and make the playoffs

 

[valefan16]

The question will be whether or not Moore is the man to lead you back.
We all probably thought he would have got an impact since he joined but apart from beating the woeful burton it’s been pretty poor.

He hasn’t really inspired anything (holds the record for a new Vale manager to get a win from taking over) and his subs have been strange, plus the uber defensive strategy v Posh and today but to caveat that I doubt Pep or Klopp gets much from this group. As said the lack of fight was the most startling, especially at a club from a working class area.

He deserves a chance to build his own squad and a transfer window, I think Vale fans have struggled as he’s quite clam and measured in his demeanour whereas Vale fans have always loved your Micky Adams or Darrell Clarke emotional type managers and see it as a lack of caring which is probably unfair.

 

[Si Robin]

The archetypal game of two halves today.

We were as good as we have been all season in the first half and didn't deserve to be pegged back, as good as Taylor's goal was. He really is a cock though isn't he, cupping his ears to fans who didn't even know who he was let alone didn't give him grief.

Second half we just could not get into the game. Lincoln's goal was absolutely infuriating though. Their lad was given all of the time in the World and he took advantage.

Need Peterborough to really take their foot off the gas and let us take it to the last day. I don't see it, but one can dream.

 

[leedsvaliant]

The question will be whether or not Moore is the man to lead you back.
We all probably thought he would have got an impact since he joined but apart from beating the woeful burton it’s been pretty poor.

Let's just say he's not won anyone over yet. Even with our shite team, we've had plenty of opportunities to gain points. We've lost 2-0 leads twice, which is pretty unforgiveable in my book. We've had a pretty kind fixture list in February, March and April but have just 2 wins from it.

I always said when he was Wednesday manager that they got promoted in spite of him...I could have got Wednesday promoted. Seems very thick in interviews and not really showing much passion.

If he doesn't get a good start next season, I can see him getting tinned. He just hasn't warmed at all to the Vale fans yet.

 

[Madejski]

I'm glad you are able to have a game on the beach. Maybe next time you should consider not trying to get games abandoned. Some of our fans might have had a love in with you but ultimately that day started our demise. We might have beaten you when we were meant to play the first time but by the time we played the rearranged game we had lost our best players and were woefully out of form. I can't believe you got away with it, without any real punishment. Disgraceful club.

Should we have rolled over and let our club die? Like the two other clubs that our owner has liquidated.

It was unfortunate that it was against Port Vale, but unfortunately drastic action by Reading fans needed to be taken. Three years of protests getting little coverage and movement, and one pitch invasion has potentially changed our fortunes.

I was surprised that there was no real punishment, but you are pointing the finger in the wrong direction. Blame the EFL.

We are by no means out of the woods, but I would have been happy knowing that we would still have a club next season, be it League One or League Two. Every other club in the league this season has had atleast that safety this year. Up until only a few weeks ago that was not looking likely at all.

This has been very stressful last couple of years following a club where football on the pitch has almost been irrelevant, just waiting to see what our ownership does next. So forgive me for enjoying what little there has been to enjoy.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Should we have rolled over and let our club die? Like the two other clubs that our owner has liquidated.

It was unfortunate that it was against Port Vale, but unfortunately drastic action by Reading fans needed to be taken. Three years of protests getting little coverage and movement, and one pitch invasion has potentially changed our fortunes.

I was surprised that there was no real punishment, but you are pointing the finger in the wrong direction. Blame the EFL.

We are by no means out of the woods, but I would have been happy knowing that we would still have a club next season, be it League One or League Two. Every other club in the league this season has had atleast that safety this year. Up until only a few weeks ago that was not looking likely at all.

This has been very stressful last couple of years following a club where football on the pitch has almost been irrelevant, just waiting to see what our ownership does next. So forgive me for enjoying what little there has been to enjoy.

We had a very similar situation less than 5 years ago. Our owner was holding us olto ransom and threatening to put us in administration. Did we protest? Yes. Did we stop any matches? No. I guarantee that Reading fans wouldn't have given a shit.

That game changed the course of our season. Don't get me wrong, we've been awful but imagine what 3 points would have done for our confidence and morale in January. The game the week after was postponed too and by the end of January we had lost our best loanees and were in the shit.

If I was a Reading supporter I would have wanted our team to go all out today in solidarity against an awful Burton team but clearly when the shoe is on the other foot they don't give a shit. The EFL are dicks but they didn't force you to postpone a match.

You also signed a bunch of players like the lads from Cambridge who you didn't intend to pay. It's cheating other teams who could have paid. You should never have been allowed to sign these players.

To be clear, I'm not one of those fans who stood in solidarity with you. I thought it was a c*** trick and I think it's a disgrace that you'll still be lining up in league 1 next season.

 

[Tangerine_tart]

The best we've played in 6 months bar the final 20 minutes. Next Saturday will be fun. Not .

 

[denzel ecfc]

Very end of season game at Sixfields. Draw probably a fair result but we were lethargic overall so no real complaints. Not sure on the hate Guthrie is getting, Woods sticks his head in to him of course he’ll go down and it was clear as day a red. Enjoyed him getting pantomime booed by the West stand after his equaliser, and the needle at points threatened to make it interesting.

Side note, some of the Exeter fans down the front of the way end seemed fairly lairy for an end of season dead rubber culminating in a full blown fist fight between a fan and a steward and the fan getting dragged out by the rozzers. Utterly pointless and time to end the season I think.

Come on, Guthrie's role before and after the incident made sure he was sent off. I'm surprised given thar it looked like he was taken out on the grassy knoll that he recovered in time to get a goal...though if you'd done your homework you'd know we are better with ten men anyway.

Yeah some of our fans get a bit carried away, it was the same last time we were at Sixfields. I think it is partly to do with our dreadful record there, we were definitely more civilised at Vale Park.

Interesting to note that Brady thought you were entertaining. Is that really what passes as good football in your parts?

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Need Peterborough to really take their foot off the gas and let us take it to the last day. I don't see it, but one can dream.

Ferguson said on the radio he'd have "no choice" but to rotate against you on Tuesday, so you should be facing a second string team (albeit they are probably as good as all of us down the bottom are anyway).

Not over for us, we will lose our next one because it's on a Tuesday and it's Wycombe. A Cheltenham win and then they're in a similar position we were going into the last day last year, so we shouldn't be taking anything for granted yet.

 

[dannylad01]

Come on, Guthrie's role before and after the incident made sure he was sent off. I'm surprised given thar it looked like he was taken out on the grassy knoll that he recovered in time to get a goal...though if you'd done your homework you'd know we are better with ten men anyway.

Yeah some of our fans get a bit carried away, it was the same last time we were at Sixfields. I think it is partly to do with our dreadful record there, we were definitely more civilised at Vale Park.

Interesting to note that Brady thought you were entertaining. Is that really what passes as good football in your parts?

Guthrie went down like he'd been shot, complete over reaction. But Woods did exactly the same when him and Shipley went in for a 50:50 together in the first 5 minutes at Shrewsbury to get Shipley sent off and then went on to control the next 45 minutes. Horrible part of the modern game.

 

[EricSabin]

Come on, Guthrie's role before and after the incident made sure he was sent off. I'm surprised given thar it looked like he was taken out on the grassy knoll that he recovered in time to get a goal...though if you'd done your homework you'd know we are better with ten men anyway.

Yeah some of our fans get a bit carried away, it was the same last time we were at Sixfields. I think it is partly to do with our dreadful record there, we were definitely more civilised at Vale Park.

Interesting to note that Brady thought you were entertaining. Is that really what passes as good football in your parts?

Brady has a tendency to be a bit snippy in interviews so the interviewer probably asked him a question he didn’t like, but most of the second half it was slow and boring

 

[codaplenty]

The best we've played in 6 months bar the final 20 minutes. Next Saturday will be fun. Not .

It's all about timing mate, you've won 4 on the bounce, confidence is high. I wish you well to get in the play offs

 

[folletto]

Pretty poor game from us yesterday. In 15 games under Jones we’ve drawn 10 games, which is as many or more draws as 13 teams in the league have managed all season. 1 more to go to equal our unbeaten record.

Currently it’s hard to get excited for next season but at least we are tough to beat

 

[Madejski]

We had a very similar situation less than 5 years ago. Our owner was holding us olto ransom and threatening to put us in administration. Did we protest? Yes. Did we stop any matches? No. I guarantee that Reading fans wouldn't have given a shit.

That game changed the course of our season. Don't get me wrong, we've been awful but imagine what 3 points would have done for our confidence and morale in January. The game the week after was postponed too and by the end of January we had lost our best loanees and were in the shit.

If I was a Reading supporter I would have wanted our team to go all out today in solidarity against an awful Burton team but clearly when the shoe is on the other foot they don't give a shit. The EFL are dicks but they didn't force you to postpone a match.

You also signed a bunch of players like the lads from Cambridge who you didn't intend to pay. It's cheating other teams who could have paid. You should never have been allowed to sign these players.

To be clear, I'm not one of those fans who stood in solidarity with you. I thought it was a c*** trick and I think it's a disgrace that you'll still be lining up in league 1 next season.

Administration and liquidation are two different things. With administration you atleast have the opportunity for a saviour to come in and buy what remains on the cheap, with the only football penalty a 12 point deduction. With liquidation you completely go out of business the next day. The only external party Reading owed was HMRC, who go straight to liquidation. If the worst case scenario for Reading was administration, it may have been different.

Just prior to the original game it was rumoured that Reading were about to sell 3 players (who were subsequently sold before the rearranged game) including our starting centreback pairing. Because these sales were made by the owner behind the Manager and Director of Football's backs, and just weeks after the ownership had said that no players needed to be sold, that is what hastened the need for protest in the game.

We intended to pay the players we signed in the Summer, because we have paid them every month on time.. And we had to make signings as we only had 8 contracted players last Summer, some of whom were also moved on. On the official EFL registration post January transfer window Reading have the fewest number of registered senior players, five less than the next lowest in this division in Wycombe.

Until this rumoured takeover goes ahead we are by no means guaranteed to be lining up in League One next season. We could be playing in the Thames Valley Premier League next year if it doesn't go ahead.

 

[Luke Imp]

The archetypal game of two halves today.

We were as good as we have been all season in the first half and didn't deserve to be pegged back, as good as Taylor's goal was. He really is a cock though isn't he, cupping his ears to fans who didn't even know who he was let alone didn't give him grief.

Second half we just could not get into the game. Lincoln's goal was absolutely infuriating though. Their lad was given all of the time in the World and he took advantage.

Need Peterborough to really take their foot off the gas and let us take it to the last day. I don't see it, but one can dream.

I thought both goals kinda sum up what happens when you're near the bottom.

Taylor runs half the length of the pitch, no-one thinks to bring him down for a yellow and when the tackle is made, it takes your own man out. And as good as the finish was from our point of view, he's stuck it in the top bin with his weak foot.

The second goal is again a good bit of play but I don't know why your player didn't challenge for it.

 

[dwightyorke]

I don't want a club go bust but I do agree reading have cheated. They had a transfer embargo on them as soon as that lifted they went out and signed Sam smith Harvey knibbs Charlie savage that wing fella and a few others and then an embargo was put on them again. They have failed to pay the players wages and bills to him revenue and made these payments late also but not been severely punished like a smaller club would have been. These players they signed and can't afford play or some of the better players in the league and are what have kept them in the league. They should either have been given a 20 point deduction or made to have played the youth team all season. The vale game been made to be played again was the wrong decays the rules clearly said that the opposition team should be automatically awarded the 3 points. No punishment for the fans protesting on the pitch and getting the game abandoned says it all really as basically means all other clubs can now do it and not get punished for it.

 

[Si Robin]

I thought both goals kinda sum up what happens when you're near the bottom.

Taylor runs half the length of the pitch, no-one thinks to bring him down for a yellow and when the tackle is made, it takes your own man out. And as good as the finish was from our point of view, he's stuck it in the top bin with his weak foot.

The second goal is again a good bit of play but I don't know why your player didn't challenge for it.

I don't think I've ever been so angry with a player as I was Liam Sercombe after that second goal. It was criminal defending.

 

[Tangerine_tart]

It's all about timing mate, you've won 4 on the bounce, confidence is high. I wish you well to get in the play offs

Cheers, bud. Good luck next season. I took no joy in your relegation like some Blackpool fans. You should be far more competitive in League 2. It looks very
mediocre with the big spenders getting promoted.

Will you be looking for a new manager? I've been impressed with Charlie. He's a top bloke and deserves a shot in League 2 .

 

[denzel ecfc]

Guthrie went down like he'd been shot, complete over reaction. But Woods did exactly the same when him and Shipley went in for a 50:50 together in the first 5 minutes at Shrewsbury to get Shipley sent off and then went on to control the next 45 minutes. Horrible part of the modern game.

The sending off that you were definitely going to get overturned?

Maybe Woods deserved to get sent off yesterday, buy inexplicable that Guthrie didn't even get a yellow

 

[Madejski]

I don't want a club go bust but I do agree reading have cheated. They had a transfer embargo on them as soon as that lifted they went out and signed Sam smith Harvey knibbs Charlie savage that wing fella and a few others and then an embargo was put on them again. They have failed to pay the players wages and bills to him revenue and made these payments late also but not been severely punished like a smaller club would have been. These players they signed and can't afford play or some of the better players in the league and are what have kept them in the league. They should either have been given a 20 point deduction or made to have played the youth team all season. The vale game been made to be played again was the wrong decays the rules clearly said that the opposition team should be automatically awarded the 3 points. No punishment for the fans protesting on the pitch and getting the game abandoned says it all really as basically means all other clubs can now do it and not get punished for it.

Where to start with this, a lot of fabrication in this statement. I assume there has been no Reading fans on this forum this season and these false statements have been allowed to fester?

Reading's transfer embargo during last Summer was that we were not allowed to pay transfer fees, loan fees or compensation fees. After we failed to pay HMRC in October, this transfer embargo was further extended to the next three transfer windows. But with those restrictions we would still be able to sign the players you have mentioned as there were no transfer fee, loan fee or compensation fee involved.

We have paid players on time this season. We were in total 6 days late at paying players last season, which is why we started this season on negative points.

20 point deduction is extreme, especially when only 12 points is penalised for Administration. Clubs that go into Administration only have to pay a fraction of what they owe. Local businesses, other football clubs etc will not see all of what they are owed. Why give a more severe penalty for a less impactful offence? I believe as it stands today Reading do not owe any external parties anything, as we have now paid HMRC etc.

We have been playing a lot of youth team this season. As mentioned in my previous post we have the fewest number of registered senior players in this division. We have played on average the second youngest age team in the division this season (would be a lot lower had we not got a 35 year old goalkeeper).

I would expect based on attendances etc Reading have the fourth highest revenue in the league this season, but we will be nowhere near having the fourth highest wage bill.

I believe that the Reading fans who postponed the pitch were invading knowing that there would be a likely immediate points deduction. I am surprised the EFL only gave a suspended penalty. Although the most recent precedent was a Blackpool pitch invasion in May 2015 where no points deduction was made.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

I don't think I've ever been so angry with a player as I was Liam Sercombe after that second goal. It was criminal defending.

It was. We had a lovely view for though. Really enjoyed the trip to Cheltenham, lovely pubs and a bit of sunshine too. Definitely on list to return and absolutely up there compared to some dives.

 

[valefan16]

The Reading thing was annoying but we haven’t got relegated because of that. It was before deadline day when we had ample time to make the signings required and in any case we look set to be more than the 3 points adrift.

As it stands had Reading been punished or banned from signing these players it would have benefited Cheltenham more than us as they are the fourth bottom.

Just hope it is all worth it in the end and they get sorted as it’s the fans who suffer as we well know from our past scrapes with losing our existence.

 

[codaplenty]

Cheers, bud. Good luck next season. I took no joy in your relegation like some Blackpool fans. You should be far more competitive in League 2. It looks very
mediocre with the big spenders getting promoted.

Will you be looking for a new manager? I've been impressed with Charlie. He's a top bloke and deserves a shot in League 2 .

Tbh we are better off in league 2. It's been tough competing in league 1 and we've far more chance of getting stability back in the team. Charlie Adam has impressed everyone and delighted he will be e leading the club in their attempt to get promoted but probably not for a year or twc !

 

[Laker]

Administration and liquidation are two different things. With administration you atleast have the opportunity for a saviour to come in and buy what remains on the cheap, with the only football penalty a 12 point deduction. With liquidation you completely go out of business the next day. The only external party Reading owed was HMRC, who go straight to liquidation. If the worst case scenario for Reading was administration, it may have been different.

Just prior to the original game it was rumoured that Reading were about to sell 3 players (who were subsequently sold before the rearranged game) including our starting centreback pairing. Because these sales were made by the owner behind the Manager and Director of Football's backs, and just weeks after the ownership had said that no players needed to be sold, that is what hastened the need for protest in the game.

We intended to pay the players we signed in the Summer, because we have paid them every month on time.. And we had to make signings as we only had 8 contracted players last Summer, some of whom were also moved on. On the official EFL registration post January transfer window Reading have the fewest number of registered senior players, five less than the next lowest in this division in Wycombe.

Until this rumoured takeover goes ahead we are by no means guaranteed to be lining up in League One next season. We could be playing in the Thames Valley Premier League next year if it doesn't go ahead.

We offered Sam Smith and Harvey Knibbs improved deals on what they had last season. You offered them more and they signed for you. You then failed to pay your staff on time in November due to lack of funds. It’s hard to have sympathy as a rival fan, surely even you see that.

 

[Madejski]

We offered Sam Smith and Harvey Knibbs improved deals on what they had last season. You offered them more and they signed for you. You then failed to pay your staff on time in November due to lack of funds. It’s hard to have sympathy as a rival fan, surely even you see that.

How do you know that Reading offered more than Cambridge? Now whilst it is probably true, there is more to offers then just pay, such as long-term prospects, location etc. Sam Smith for example came through our academy and may have wanted to come back.

As a fanbase we have seen our club be ripped apart by an owner who appears to no longer care about the club, seemingly happy to let us die us like the previous two clubs he has owned. Watching our club get crippled, not knowing day to day whether we will have a club to support going forward, having no support from the football league we play in (who passed our owner to take us over, but can do nothing to punish or remove the owner, only hand out points deductions and embargoes) and then despite getting through all of that, then being accused of opposition fans of cheating.

With the losses football clubs make these days (just look throughout this division), all clubs are beholden to their owners. If Cambridge or other clubs had owners who unexpectedly stopped funding then you would be in the same position as we have been, struggling to making payments.

The real problem is the landscape of football currently that firstly has made the situation that Reading find themselves in possible. The sooner the independent regulator comes in the better. It may not solve all the problems we have, but it'll be better than the situation we have now.

 

[leedsvaliant]

How do you know that Reading offered more than Cambridge? Now whilst it is probably true, there is more to offers then just pay, such as long-term prospects, location etc. Sam Smith for example came through our academy and may have wanted to come back.

As a fanbase we have seen our club be ripped apart by an owner who appears to no longer care about the club, seemingly happy to let us die us like the previous two clubs he has owned. Watching our club get crippled, not knowing day to day whether we will have a club to support going forward, having no support from the football league we play in (who passed our owner to take us over, but can do nothing to punish or remove the owner, only hand out points deductions and embargoes) and then despite getting through all of that, then being accused of opposition fans of cheating.

With the losses football clubs make these days (just look throughout this division), all clubs are beholden to their owners. If Cambridge or other clubs had owners who unexpectedly stopped funding then you would be in the same position as we have been, struggling to making payments.

The real problem is the landscape of football currently that firstly has made the situation that Reading find themselves in possible. The sooner the independent regulator comes in the better. It may not solve all the problems we have, but it'll be better than the situation we have now.

However your situation came about, I have sympathy with. What I don't have sympathy with is you signing players that you didn’t intend to pay on time. We went for Sam Smith in the summer but we got usurped by you who could pay him way more than us. How in any way is that fair? I have sympathy for the poor management of your club but you've still cheated your way to comfortable survival. The postponed game was a disgrace and I hope you feel ashamed. I said at the time that it could potentially derail our season and it did.

We deserve to go down for being rubbish. But you deserve to go down for a complete disregard for other clubs. I guarantee Reading wouldn't have given a shit during our previous predicaments.

 

[Madejski]

We're not going to see eye to eye. I've stated facts, you've stated opinions. Lets end it at that.

 

[Si Robin]

How do you know that Reading offered more than Cambridge? Now whilst it is probably true, there is more to offers then just pay, such as long-term prospects, location etc. Sam Smith for example came through our academy and may have wanted to come back.

I'm willing to bet everything I own on the fact that Sam Smith hasn't returned to Reading because he used to play in their academy.

I've seen some rubbish spouted, but this is right up there. I note you conveniently ignored Laker's point about Harvey Knibbs as well. I suppose he's got a granddad who was a huge Reading fan or something.

I do empathise with Reading fans to an extent, but when clubs like mine are ran properly, living within our means because we've always had people who care about the club at the heart of it, and get shafted by bigger clubs spending way beyond their means, then you can't expect everyone to think you're so hard done by when you have players we simply couldn't afford ourselves and then cry wolf that you might be weeks away from folding due to not having enough money to cover running costs (was it £1m needed to get through March that your sponsor covered?)

 

[Laker]

How do you know that Reading offered more than Cambridge? Now whilst it is probably true, there is more to offers then just pay, such as long-term prospects, location etc. Sam Smith for example came through our academy and may have wanted to come back.

As a fanbase we have seen our club be ripped apart by an owner who appears to no longer care about the club, seemingly happy to let us die us like the previous two clubs he has owned. Watching our club get crippled, not knowing day to day whether we will have a club to support going forward, having no support from the football league we play in (who passed our owner to take us over, but can do nothing to punish or remove the owner, only hand out points deductions and embargoes) and then despite getting through all of that, then being accused of opposition fans of cheating.

With the losses football clubs make these days (just look throughout this division), all clubs are beholden to their owners. If Cambridge or other clubs had owners who unexpectedly stopped funding then you would be in the same position as we have been, struggling to making payments.

The real problem is the landscape of football currently that firstly has made the situation that Reading find themselves in possible. The sooner the independent regulator comes in the better. It may not solve all the problems we have, but it'll be better than the situation we have now.

We’ve had our own owner issues, we even ended up stuck in the conference because of it. We had our ground stolen from us by a bastard director on the cheap “to make ends meet”, we had Dave Kitson sold for a pittance “to make ends meet”, we even lost our best player in our relegation season for nothing to Southend because we couldn’t afford his wages (and he wasn’t on a fortune anyway). So I completely understand what it’s like to be run by a chairman or board who are actively fucking you over.

But with us we almost folded (an 11th hour rescue where an MP stepped in) and we began in the conference with just four registered players. We then fumbled around non league for nine years because we had no money. What we didn’t do was sign players from other clubs on higher wages with the promise of paying them money we didn’t have, meaning we couldn’t pay our own staff on time.

My sympathy goes to Reading’s fans for what they’re going through with their club but my sympathy is limited compared to other clubs’ problems. You’ve got away with it lightly frankly.