what Reading are saying on their Boards....

[Triggaaar]

Compare the records.
Not sure how anyone can say we have done as well as e.g. Forest, Leeds, Derby, QPR etc

I didn't say we had. That would be like me saying 'not sure how anyone can say we're smaller than Rotherham, Brentford, Bristol, Reading etc.'

 

[Tarpon]

My prediction is 2-0 to Reading, but even so, we still have a fighting chance of a draw, or in dreamland a win.

...but tend to agree.

 

[Leyton Gull]

I didn't say we had. That would be like me saying 'not sure how anyone can say we're smaller than Rotherham, Brentford, Bristol, Reading etc.'

You didn't? So you agree we are a relatively small club for the Championship but just like arguing over nothing.

 

[Triggaaar]

You didn't? So you agree we are a relatively small club for the Championship but just like arguing over nothing.

You said we're smaller than most. I'm not sure we are. That doesn't mean I'm saying we've done as well as the teams you've mentioned.

 

[Leyton Gull]

You said we're smaller than most. I'm not sure we are. That doesn't mean I'm saying we've done as well as the teams you've mentioned.

In my view the fact we are smaller than most teams in this league is pretty much a given until we've won a couple of cups and maybe qualified for Europe [before we get relegated from the Prem obviously]. We have fantastic potential so that MIGHT change one day. The point is, I'm surprised you think I'm saying anything controversial.

 

[Seasidesage]

I'd say there are 6/7 teams 'bigger' than us in this division.

Derby, Forest, Wolves, Leeds, Sheffield Weds and arguably Ipswich and Boro.

The rest may have spent some recent time in the PL but have either won nothing of note or have significantly smaller crowds etc. We have massively underachieved over the years but you have only to look at the catchment area thread to see the potential. It needs to be realised but we have the infrastructure in place and we are getting there with the team.

Huddlesfield and Preston may have won trophies way back but neither are bigger than the Albion today.

 

[GT49er]

In my view the fact we are smaller than most teams in this league is pretty much a given until we've won a couple of cups and maybe qualified for Europe [before we get relegated from the Prem obviously]. We have fantastic potential so that MIGHT change one day. The point is, I'm surprised you think I'm saying anything controversial.

The last time I saw an all time league table (based on positions each year, rather than points scored - you could score a lot of points in the lower leagues without ever hitting the heights) we were something like 46th. or 48th. Bang at the top of division three, then - but definitely on the way up in recent years - that 48th. place has a lot to do with the thirty-odd years we spent in the old division 3 (South). I don't see us as minnows in the Championship, not any more, not like we were the last time we came up into it.

 

[Leyton Gull]

I'd say there are 6/7 teams 'bigger' than us in this division.

Derby, Forest, Wolves, Leeds, Sheffield Weds and arguably Ipswich and Boro.

The rest may have spent some recent time in the PL but have either won nothing of note or have significantly smaller crowds etc. We have massively underachieved over the years but you have only to look at the catchment area thread to see the potential. It needs to be realised but we have the infrastructure in place and we are getting there with the team.

Huddlesfield and Preston may have won trophies way back but neither are bigger than the Albion today.

Burnley [league], Cardiff [FA cup], Charlton [FA CUP] Brum[league cup] QPR [league cup] Ipswich [league, FA cup, Eurp trophies] Bolton [FA Cup] Not to mention the fact that most of these clubs have spent more time in the top league, let alone the top 2 leagues. Fulham had John Haynes etc and George Cohen a World Cup Winner.

 

[Leyton Gull]

The last time I saw an all time league table (based on positions each year, rather than points scored - you could score a lot of points in the lower leagues without ever hitting the heights) we were something like 46th. or 48th. Bang at the top of division three, then - but definitely on the way up in recent years - that 48th. place has a lot to do with the thirty-odd years we spent in the old division 3 (South). I don't see us as minnows in the Championship, not any more, not like we were the last time we came up into it.

I did not say minnow.

 

[Leyton Gull]

I'd say there are 6/7 teams 'bigger' than us in this division.

Derby, Forest, Wolves, Leeds, Sheffield Weds and arguably Ipswich and Boro.

The rest may have spent some recent time in the PL but have either won nothing of note or have significantly smaller crowds etc. We have massively underachieved over the years but you have only to look at the catchment area thread to see the potential. It needs to be realised but we have the infrastructure in place and we are getting there with the team.

Huddlesfield and Preston may have won trophies way back but neither are bigger than the Albion today.

If you don't 'achieve' you can't really call yourself a big club relatively speaking.

 

[GT49er]

I did not say minnow.

Hmm..... "the fact we are smaller than most teams in this league is pretty much a given."


Yes, OK, the actual word 'minnow' isn't there, but.........

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

There is a difference between ancient 'bigness', and current 'bigness'.

Everything changes, nothing is fixed.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Who cares, Reading will ALWAYS be a tinpot town and a TINPOT club.

 

[Leyton Gull]

There is a difference between ancient 'bigness', and current 'bigness'.

Everything changes, nothing is fixed.

That's a shame because the only thing we had won so far at the 'top level', is the Charity Shield and we were in the Southern League at the time btw!

 

[Machiavelli]

There is a difference between ancient 'bigness', and current 'bigness'.

Everything changes, nothing is fixed.

Does that statement change, or is it fixed?

Or, coming at it from a different angle, does this mean that we're not going to be top of the league forever

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

That's a shame because the only thing we had won so far at the 'top level', is the Charity Shield and we were in the Southern League at the time btw!

Nothing wrong with historical trophies.

A measure of how 'big' a club was in ancient times.

 

[sir albion]

The last time I saw an all time league table (based on positions each year, rather than points scored - you could score a lot of points in the lower leagues without ever hitting the heights) we were something like 46th. or 48th. Bang at the top of division three, then - but definitely on the way up in recent years - that 48th. place has a lot to do with the thirty-odd years we spent in the old division 3 (South). I don't see us as minnows in the Championship, not any more, not like we were the last time we came up into it.

And before the decline I,e goldstone we was around 34th...Point is we've always had big potential,but never had the finances or stadia to do anything.

We're a big club as we now have what we always wanted and not many clubs in the country could average over 27k in the 2nd tier and that includes the likes of forest and sheff w etc.

Newcastle
West Ham
Man city
Leeds
Derby
Sunderland
Brighton
Can't think of anymore in decades although Norwich probably would have if they had a bigger stadium.
Two thirds of the prem wouldn't if they was in the championship and we have been pretty dam shite to watch as well.

 

[sir albion]

Nothing wrong with historical trophies.

A measure of how 'big' a club was in ancient times.

Trophies are nout to do with the size of a club....Fan base and attendances are what a big club are based on.
Trophies are just achievements

 

[Triggaaar]

In my view the fact we are smaller than most teams in this league is pretty much a given until we've won a couple of cups and maybe qualified for Europe

So you're saying that most (more than half) of the teams in our division have won a couple of cups and qualified for Europe?

I don't think we're a big club at all. I just don't think we're that small, compared to most of the division we're in. As others have said, trophies from 60 years ago don't make a club big.

 

[GT49er]

So you're saying that most (more than half) of the teams in our division have won a couple of cups and qualified for Europe?

To be honest, without going into detailed research, I wouldn't be surprised, or not far off it anyway.