How TINPOT were Reading?

Plake · Mar 10, 2014

Cheshire Cat said:
Anyone remember Robert Maxwell and his idea for "Thames Valley Royals"? That was particularly tinpot.

Not sure I'm understanding the variety of ways that tinpot is being used in this thread, but we remember it well and it was very very close to happening at the time. I still feel a bit sick thinking about it.

It's approximately how you would feel if you were to be merged with Portsmouth and called the South Coast Gulls with your matches played in Chichester.

Smee and Tranter almost single handedly saved the club. Nobody cried for Maxwell anywhere, but Reading were particularly ambivalent about his yachting mishap.

Dick Knights Mumm · Mar 10, 2014

My own memory of the fixture stretches back nearly 2 decades to that glorious April day in 1994 when Mark McGhee (more of him later) and his team secured promotion and the Division 2 title with a comfortable win against the Albion. One of my main recollections of a dream afternoon was of swelled ranks of Brighton supporters at the Town End, gathered en masse as if to spoil our party by drinking all the Ginger Beer and snogging the girl we fancied. In denial perhaps that Reading – a peer they perhaps thought that they had largely left behind over 15 years or so of dabbling in the top two divisions while we floundered in the bottom tiers - were on the up, the Brighton fans displayed an aggressive arrogance before, during and after our big day.

Ha ha. My memory of that day was the Albion faithful singing "You're shit, and you know you are". Nail hit on the head.

Reading just are tinpot. I have no strong feelings about them either way. I have a good friend who follows them and so do not mind them doing well. Post Elm Park - they are just tinpot. There is no other word that describes it as well as that.

Dick Knights Mumm · Mar 10, 2014

"If anything the growth potential at Brighton is greater, because there has been a history of it.

"We fill out the Madejski every week now but a lot of them are away fans! The growth potential at Brighton is larger without doubt.

"Put it this way, if Brighton had the Madejski Stadium then there would be a massive transformation of the club overnight."

Steve Coppell in 2007.

Plake · Mar 10, 2014

Dick Knights Mumm said:
My own memory of the fixture stretches back nearly 2 decades to that glorious April day in 1994 when Mark McGhee (more of him later) and his team secured promotion and the Division 2 title with a comfortable win against the Albion. One of my main recollections of a dream afternoon was of swelled ranks of Brighton supporters at the Town End, gathered en masse as if to spoil our party by drinking all the Ginger Beer and snogging the girl we fancied. In denial perhaps that Reading – a peer they perhaps thought that they had largely left behind over 15 years or so of dabbling in the top two divisions while we floundered in the bottom tiers - were on the up, the Brighton fans displayed an aggressive arrogance before, during and after our big day.

Ha ha. My memory of that day was the Albion faithful singing "You're shit, and you know you are". Nail hit on the head.

Reading just are tinpot. I have no strong feelings about them either way. I have a good friend who follows them and so do not mind them doing well. Post Elm Park - they are just tinpot. There is no other word that describes it as well as that.

Admirably positive attitude to be singing that at the Champions who were easily dealing with you :lolol:

Our clubs are in fact very similar. Brighton are almost exactly how Reading were 10 years ago with a new plastic stadium, local owner of limited means, sudden influx of fans, academy looking like it might have potential (we had 6 on the pitch against you) and on the verge of pulling together a team that can probably get promoted and do alright. Until all of your best players get bought.

You might not like it, but it's true.

Dick Knights Mumm · Mar 10, 2014

Plake said:
Admirably positive attitude to be singing that at the Champions who were easily dealing with you

It was just true. And very funny.

Our clubs are in fact very similar. Brighton are almost exactly how Reading were 10 years ago with a new plastic stadium, local owner of limited means, sudden influx of fans, academy looking like it might have potential (we had 6 on the pitch against you) and on the verge of pulling together a team that can probably get promoted and do alright. Until all of your best players get bought.

You might not like it, but it's true.

Of course there are similarities. Except as Mr Coppell pointed out we have greater potential. And repeating something (plastic stadium etc) does not make it any more true - any valid points you do make tend to get a bit lost.

Anyway, that is more energy than I can be bothered to expend on your club. Best of luck Squire.

spring hall convert · Mar 10, 2014

Luke93 said:
All because of one rich investor.

Glass houses?

Yoda · Mar 10, 2014

Mellotron said:
Rather convenient for you it was calculated in the 2011 season just BEFORE we had 3 years in one of the top stadiums in the entire country. Genius.

Not as convenient as leaving the Charity Shield out of it. Remember, before the Southern League Merged with The FL, the winners were given the title of Champions of England.

Reading Dave · Mar 12, 2014

Hi guys.

Why are you so bothered by Reading? Is it purely down to the fact that we've been infinitely more successful than you in the last decade? As pointed out by your own fans, you're as tinpot as us, so you might as well embrace it.

Fwiw, I don't know many Reading fans that dislike Brighton. You're the plucky underdogs with a nice new stadium, play decent football, and generally seem pretty harmless. Like your Doncasters of this world. And what's there to hate about Donny? Apart from that prick from One Direction.

Hillian1 · Mar 12, 2014

Reading Dave said:
Hi guys.

Why are you so bothered by Reading? Is it purely down to the fact that we've been infinitely more successful than you in the last decade? As pointed out by your own fans, you're as tinpot as us, so you might as well embrace it.

Fwiw, I don't know many Reading fans that dislike Brighton. You're the plucky underdogs with a nice new stadium, play decent football, and generally seem pretty harmless. Like your Doncasters of this world. And what's there to hate about Donny? Apart from that prick from One Direction.

I don't hate Doncaster, but Doncaster hate us because one of our players murdered Billy Sharp.

RIP Billy.

Reading Dave · Mar 12, 2014

Erm, lol.

albionite · Mar 12, 2014

Reading Dave said:
Hi guys.

Why are you so bothered by Reading? Is it purely down to the fact that we've been infinitely more successful than you in the last decade? As pointed out by your own fans, you're as tinpot as us, so you might as well embrace it.

Fwiw, I don't know many Reading fans that dislike Brighton. You're the plucky underdogs with a nice new stadium, play decent football, and generally seem pretty harmless. Like your Doncasters of this world. And what's there to hate about Donny? Apart from that prick from One Direction.

Did you really need to bump this thread to remind us how tinpot Reading are.

Reading Dave · Mar 12, 2014

Are you going to answer my question, or just keep banging on about teapots?

ozzygull · Mar 12, 2014

Reading Dave said:
Are you going to answer my question, or just keep banging on about teapots?

I'll answer for you as I live in Reading and have a few Reading supporting friends. I have no dislike for Reading just a bit meh.

Things that stick out for me is the that I first visited the Mad Stad when it first opened, I think you were very close to being top of league one at the time and you were playing Walsall. I went along as I wanted to see what a modern stadium was like. The place was practically empty. I think I nearly had a whole side to myself. I just came away thinking what ungrateful gits Reading fans where, top of the league and in fantastic new ground and no one bothered to turn up. I think you won 5-0 or something but there was no atmosphere, I think you got out sung by about 10 Walsall fans.

When you guys got to the prem the first time a number of people In my office who had shown no interest in football started talking about Reading as "we" and my boss last year had a season ticket for Reading because "He wanted to see famous players"

You have a drum but you don't sing and you play bloody goal music.

albionite · Mar 12, 2014

Answer what?

I could not care less about your club. The game was over a couple of days ago

. Why are you on here to find out about what we think of your tinpot club? Stick to your own forums and you will not be offended what anyone here thinks of Reading.

Simster · Mar 12, 2014

Reading Dave said:
Are you going to answer my question, or just keep banging on about teapots?

A decade ago, it used to bother us that your two-bob club had the financial muscle we could only dream of, but that's all changed now - we have a better ground than you, and get 10,000 more at home than you do, despite being in almost identical positions in the league. I'm sorry, but no-one really here cares about your tiny little outfit, any more than people on the message boards of Swindon Town and Oxford United care about you.

algie · Mar 12, 2014

Reading Dave said:
Hi guys.

Why are you so bothered by Reading? Is it purely down to the fact that we've been infinitely more successful than you in the last decade? As pointed out by your own fans, you're as tinpot as us, so you might as well embrace it.

Fwiw, I don't know many Reading fans that dislike Brighton. You're the plucky underdogs with a nice new stadium, play decent football, and generally seem pretty harmless. Like your Doncasters of this world. And what's there to hate about Donny? Apart from that prick from One Direction.

You can't be that old then. There was most certainly hatred between Reading and Brighton fans a few years back when you were at your old ground.

Reading Dave · Mar 12, 2014

If you're gonna pretend you don't care, you might want to tone down the bitterness.

Reading Dave · Mar 12, 2014

algie said:
You can't be that old then. There was most certainly hatred between Reading and Brighton fans a few years back when you were at your old ground.

Been going since '93, and never really noticed any bad feelings towards Brighton. All seems to be one way.

Hillian1 · Mar 12, 2014

Reading Dave said:
If you're gonna pretend you don't care, you might want to tone down the bitterness.

I don't have any bitterness or anger towards Reading, I simply don't care about you and your two bob outfit.

Hope this helps.

Simster · Mar 12, 2014

Reading Dave said:
If you're gonna pretend you don't care, you might want to tone down the bitterness.

If you're talking to me, I've already told you that we WERE bitter about such a noddy club having the financial muscle and facilities we could only dream of. But there's no bitterness now. We don't care about your dreary town and it's football club with laughably small and quiet support.

We do seem to share a history of mediocrity on the pitch though, and I've noticed a dislike of Portsmouth appears to run through a good number of fans of both clubs, so there are definite similarities. Imagine being a Portsmouth fan now. As if it wasn't bad enough seeing Southampton fill their 31,000 Premiership stadium, they've also got Reading and Albion doing rather nicely too. Even Bournemouth make Portsmouth look noddy these days.

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