Had McAnuff...

While I wallowed in tremendous amounts of self-pity after another night on a bender (well, I'm making the most of my last year at university), I couldn't imagine what was about to come.

A stylish Reading win and more importantly, a clean sheet. It's a Christmas miracle.

Sheffield Wednesday are certainly no mugs and Hillsborough is not an easy place to pick up three points. And Reading, how the current season is going, could have crumbled up there like a Tesco value digestive.

However the Royals' resurgence has given new-found optimism, for the fans and the players are believing again.

I've never warmed that much to Jobi McAnuff in the past and when he signed I rolled my eyes thinking its a poor man's Tommy Smith. The past month has seen something quite different from the winger. He's taken the game by the scruff of its neck and created momentum.

McAnuff's goals has been as valuable as ever and the big tree that stands up front (Gregorz Rasiak) has, gladly, taken advantage of his sublime crossing and scored a few himself.

Brendan Rodgers knew that this team could play like this and its a testament to him that he carried on insisting on playing football, rather than lumping it up like most teams in this division. The second goal against Wednesday showed that with a great passing move and a fine finish from Kalifa Cisse. Goal of the season so far.

The defensive display could be explained by Cisse as well. He's the first real holding player weve had there for a while and gave Alex Pearce and Ivar Ingimarsson some cover that had been missing.

Marek Matejovsky, then, has a licence to roam and link play in a more direct manner, something that was restricted with Brian Howard in the team.

The last five games have a been a vast improvement, let it continue. I want to be jolly this Christmas.

Reading Youngsters Prove Worth

The performance was quite simply breathtaking; a burst of goals that coincided with some excellent football to make an all-enjoyable evening but many did miss it. The sea of blue seats was a little disheartening but the fans that turned up still made good voice and saw five top quality strikes in a comprehensive 5-1 win.

Although it was ‘only’ Burton Albion, Reading produced a fine display and it just goes to show what a hungry, young squad Brendan Rodgers has at his disposal. This little youngster Nicholas Bignall made his debut and what a debut it was. Not many can claim that they scored two for their hometown club within 9 minutes of the start.

Bignall’s took his goals brilliantly and his all round game was equally as impressive. He caused constant havoc, his speed and energy troubled Burton’s helpless defence, as they didn’t know how to handle him.

I’m sure Burton defenders would have loved some rope to tie him to the corner flag just to have a moment’s rest from his movement off the ball, he must have tried to cover every blade of grass. He was always an option and the midfield consisting of Marek Matejovsky, Gylfi Sigurdsson and James Harper loved picking him out, he chased everything.

Irish eyes must have been smiling over David Mooney; he took his two goals very well, one from an almost impossible angle, to show case his talents in front of new manager Rodgers and fans alike. There’s a fans’ favourite in the making here.

The crowd sung ‘Mooney, Mooney, Mooney, Mooney, Mooney, ahaha’ in a remediation of the Kaiser Chiefs ‘Ruby’, inspirational stuff and no doubt it’ll be heard again. I fancy it for a ringtone in all honesty.

What a cracking little player Sigurdsson is. Before last night’s performance, he seemed a little unhurried and a tad weak to dominate the midfield, but those thoughts are now forgotten.

His goal flew in and I couldn’t believe I missed it. Damn dehydration. However, having the luxury of Sky Sports News and Sky+ I was able to watch it over and over again and once more after that. What a sensational strike it was; Cristiano Ronaldo would be eating his heart out.

Sigurdsson is the youngster in Reading’s Iceland contingent and has fine role models and compatriots he can look up to in Brynjar Gunnarsson and Ivar Ingimarsson. No doubt he has been given guidance and understands what it takes to succeed at the Mad Stad and on this perform, his career certainly looks promising.

New signing Matthew Mills also made his debut and performed amicable alongside skipper Alex Pearce and this is possibly, and hopefully, Reading’ first choice centre back pairing for the season. Mills looked commanding and has a bit of pace about him; first signs are very encouraging.

Rodgers would have a learnt a little more about his side. Now a trip to Newcastle awaits us.

Mills. Mills. Mills.

Excellent we have a signing and one to shout out about.

Matthew Mills is the latest, with some rumoured to follow, signing of a relatively peaceful summer and it’s the first purchase under the new Brendan Rodgers era.

He joins Ryan Bertrand, on loan from Chelsea, in beefing up the defence and it’s two players that I, personally, am really looking forward to seeing.

Last season Mills had a great season and was arguably Doncaster’s finest performer as Sean O’Driscoll exceeded all expectations to finish mid table in the Championship.

Mills comes to Reading for a slightly different task. He and Alex Pearce should form a formidable partnership as the club can get rid of the ever so slightly expansive Andre Bikey for a significant profit. There’s many rumoured in the hunt for his signature.

Doncaster paid a record signing fee for the centre albeit it only £300,000 but they made a grand profit of their own. Gladly he has a winning playoff mentality, when he secured promotion with Donny via the playoffs after beating Leeds ‘Scum’ United, and this may be a crucial factor come the end of the season.

It’s reported that Reading paid anything up to £2.3 million for his services and if he performs well he could attract a higher fee in the future.

It’s a grand transfer policy and a player that fits the bill perfectly. Well done Nicky Hammond.

He’s young, only 23, and ambitious but there is only one serious problem – he was born in Swind*n.

Time for Long to Deliver

I will galvanise a sublime panorama for you. Just imagine a striker that has no real or significant attributes, that has lived on his Irish pals fame, who’s been around for three season and yet to make any thorough impact will lead our attack next season.

Shane Long has been given number 9 and number 9 is what he will wear.
I’ve always been a Longer fan and his 24 is symbolised on the back of my rather too bright Orange away shirt. His four well-taken goals against Tolo IF will surely place him as hot favourite to fill spearhead the attacking 3 in a 4-3-3 that Brendan Rodgers is working so prominently on.

A four nil drumming is always morale boosting and will escalate Reading’s confidence that will be taken so epically into the new season but it’s Long’s goals that were the important factor in this win.

Although the part time pub footballers that we are coming against in Sweden can rarely be classed as ‘competition’, it’s always good to see strikers amongst the goals and with Long scoring all four it shows the fans that he can be relied upon to get a goal or two. Maybe Kevin Doyle’s departure has placed more emphasis on Long and stepping into his boots may be the best thing for him, he’s no longer hiding in the shadows.

The fans often have split loyalties on Longer; half believe he is utter crap and the other half are bedazzled by him. It is difficult to know what Long will turn up but if it’s in one that turned up against Charlton Athletic at home and Norwich City away last season, Reading will not be missing Doyler at all this term.

It’s going to be a big season for him and I rather doubt that he will be given much of an opportunity by Rodgers’ as with only one attacker up top he will need to be performing from the beginning or he’ll find himself warming the bench once again.

He’s needs to be in the goals now and be scoring and playing well with every game he plays up until the kick off the new campaign.

His photo-shoot for the kit launch gave an awe of arrogance from him and with the ‘marketing’ people choosing Long, it indicates that the people behind the scenes all believe that he will make an outstanding impact.

He’s now 22 and been on the fringes of the first team for a long time so it is time he makes his mark and my word I hope he does.

Get Real GetReading - Versatile Davies looking at Breakthrough

Stumbling over some Reading FC news, as you do, I came across a GetReading story about Scott Davies that was rather bemusing.

It was not the fact he has been highlighted in the story that was the problem but it was the way the story was constructed and began that startled and annoyed me.

It began, “Rooming with Mikkel Andersen might not have been Scott Davies’ ideal choice, but the midfielder’s two goals on Thursday will help him get over it.”
What the hell does this mean?

Davies doesn’t like Andersen? Is there an instinctive lack of collectiveness in the changing room? I have no idea but in the future let’s hope that Jonny Fordham try to find a more comforting and realistic angle for a story; he makes me miss Nick Ive.

Davies, on the other, should and will be given this season to prove his worth and show why he is a Championship player. He’s performed amicably at Andersh*t and was a big factor for their promotion two seasons ago. His goal scoring rate wasn’t bad either - 13 in 41 outings.

Davies now comes into a side that has a new manager installed and has the chance to show why he deserves a crack in the side and two goals against the Swedish part-timers Jonsered would do him the world of good.

With the introduction of seven substitutes in the Championship next season and with his versatility, he can play right back, right midfield or in the centre, he will look hot favourite to take up a position on the bench. Ideally, he’s our new Brynjar Gunnarsson.

The Republic of Ireland hopeful is relishing playing with some good quality players, a far cry from what he had to put up with at Aldersh*t. He expressed to the Post that he’s enjoyed playing and training with Jay Tabb and Gunnarsson as he is learning a lot.

But with all Jonny Fordham jokes aside, Davies may step up, make a noticeable impact next season, and join Reading’s crop of youngsters to lead us to the top flight once again.

Rumours, Rumours, Rumours,

Ok I’m starting to like this. As the squad departs and have fun in Sven’s homeland, the rest of us are left behind complementing who we are going to sign and some of the players I really like the sound off.

According to the Wokingham Times we were rumoured with Tottenham’s youngster Adel Taarabt and he would have been a brilliant additional to our prevailing squad.

Unfortunately he looks to be heading to rivals Queen Park Bench Rangers nevertheless a good player to be rumoured with and one mad Tottenham fan informed that we missed out on a world class player in the making. I hope he’s not right.

Chelsea’s Jack Cork remains to be heavily linked, he was with Brendan Rodgers at Watford last term. Spurs centre back Dorian Dervitte is another however with Tottenham’s recent centre back crisis, Woodgate, King and Dawson are all apparently
going to miss the start of the season, this looks very doubtful at present.

Another one is Macedonian international Ilco Naumoski. Whoever he is? We are supposedly stuck in a three-way battle to sign the striker with Coventry and Hearts but I’m not sure is good or bad – 29 international games with only six goals is not the kind of striker I personally want to sign.

And according to those brilliant minds at the Dairy Mirror Reading are trying to sign Jobi McAnuff. The winger was, again, at Watford and a bid of £800,000 is expected as a like for like replacement Stephen Hunt.

This is a list of some very good players that I would love to see at our club- they would not only be an asset to the squad but they would an asset to the first team as well.

May the rumours continue.

Murty Man

Every Loyal Royal must watch and love this. I know I do.



What do you think?

£30,000 for What? Hunt needs to go

Ok, I read something extraordinary, eerie and a bit disturbing. It is said on the Get Reading website that Stephen Hunt is being paid something in the region of £30,000 a week. Yes, a week.

Reading, the team that has just been relegated, the team who’s budget in often very limited in the best of times are shelling out far too much for a player who’s, honestly, not that good.

Reading this has just annoyed me more and being paid more than double anyone else in the team surely he’s warranted to put in a big performance now and again. Off hand, it’s hard to remember the last game he played better than average. Back in the glory days of top-flight football, he was good, better than average most of the time and remembering games against Everton and West Ham at home showed the world how good he could be. However a season down in the doldrums of the Championship indicates that he does not want to be with the club anymore.

Brendan Rodgers understand that his budget will be severely torn in half if Hunt does not leave by the end of August and he must be hoping for a bidder to enter the fray sooner rather than later.

Hunt’s mockery cameo appearances against Didcot Town and Kettering were indeed laughable especially that, in both games, he played left back as we don’t have Chris Armstrong up to scraps yet. Ryan Bertrand, just signed on a season long loan from Chelsea, will be sharing left back duty with Armstrong from now on and Rodgers’ seems reluctant to use Hunt in any sort of attacking formality.

And who can blame him. Why should he use a player that is obviously going to move on? Rightly, he’s giving youth a chance, a step I very much encourage. Hal Robson-Kanu performed wonders for Swind*n last season and he deserves a little run in the team to see if he is up to the task. James Henry definitely deserves a run in the team if he does well in preseason, especially with the hopelessness of Jimmy Kebe on our right wing.

It seems rather pointless having Hunt in the first team squad at all especially if Rodgers intentions are not use him and if he wants match sharpest a spell in the reserves wouldn’t be the worse thing.

Rumours on the paper fronts have gone dead recently as gossip of a move to Everton, Wigan, Fulham, Sunderland, or Bolton hasn’t appeared for a few weeks worryingly. No doubt, they will soon pick and these clubs have a potential bargain on their hands as Reading might just accept any bid that heads their way.

Therefore, any half-decent Premier League club out there please take Hunt off our hands, as he will be much more of use to you than he would us.

Beaten by Kettering, but Bertrand set to shine

Football is a results business; fortunately for Reading, friendly results are not. After demolishing Didcot Town 5-1 midweek, our season’s preparation came crashing down to earth with a damaging 2-1 defeat at Kettering (No, you did read that correctly).

And this was with are supposed first teamers. An experimental 4-3-3 formation was intact and the news coming from the website is that we lacked the cutting edge in front of goal. Using just a lone front man, especially in the form of Simon Church or Shane Long, we are always going to struggle to keep possession high up the field although this system relies on instant back up from the wingers it’s a system that we cannot adopt with our current crop of players. Hal Robson-Kanu and James Henry are great prospects and good players but they won’t get us promoted. Without sounding too much like Alan Hanson here, but ‘you won’t win anything with kids’.

Fair enough it’s preseason and this is only the second game into it but form in crucial and heading to the season with momentum is a must; hence why a game against Chelski is not ideal.

Long has yet to score whilst Church scored our only goal to show that he is good for a goal but we still need that defining cutting edge to make us Championship competitors. It scares me that Jimmy Kebe will be relied on to provide Reading with ‘cutting edge’ but he’s as creative as a rock and that’s being a little harsh on the rock.

Meanwhile Rodgers’ first signing as manager, Ryan Bertrand, started the game. He put in a good 45 minutes at left-back before being replaced by Stephen Hunt at half time. He’s supposedly an England under 21 international and is groomed to be Ashley Cole’s replacement at club and international level; on this basis signing Bertrand seems to be a masterstroke however is he joining as a first teamer or as cover.

Chris Armstrong done a fantastic job last term and it will be disappointing to see him pushed to the sidelines to play a bit part role. Rodgers’ has said that Bertrand is the ‘modern day full back’ and his addition to the squad does seem logical. Having two players in every position is crucial and with Julian Kelly out injured as well he will be good defensive cover, as he can play right back if called upon.
Even at the tender age of 19, he’s already ranked up almost 100 senior appearance appearances with various clubs, and at Norwich last term he was one of their most spoke about players, so joining a club that’s hopefully heading in the opposition direction will be good for him to learn his trade.

We’ll please to hear that Bertrand’s aim for the season is to win the league; but has to say that doesn’t he?

The Pre Season is Upon Us

It’s that time again kids. Well time for those overzealous adults for a deep unconditional love for Reading FC to dig deep in their wardrobes to get out their blue and whites, grab that thermos of Bovril and prepare themselves for another whirlwind adventure. Well Reading haven’t been like a whirlwind adventure for a while under the gamesmanship of Steve Coppell but hearing Rodgers’ ambitions and desires the club are set for one hell of a rollercoaster journey and boy I’m excited.

It’s been a long time since that crushing defeat to Burnley at the not very Mad Stad but nevertheless the new dawn is upon us and hope the sun will be shining stronger than ever. The annual trip down the road to the Loop Meadow Stadium is amongst us and surely a few Loyal Royals will be bounded to head down the A4074 to see what the season has in store for us.

I remember three years ago, I think, when a certain Jem Karacan kicked of his Reading career in style with a tremendous volley that any half-decent centre midfielder, and Reading have many of them, would be extremely proud off. This seasons agenda will be similar to last as ‘sticking out the reserves’ is not a welcomed opportunity that we can endeavour anymore. As a Championship side, we need as many games as possible to get the first team squad fit, ready and on form otherwise we are doomed to begin the season badly and we are somewhat famous for our good starts, so a bad start, an ok middle and a poor ending will not be a good season.

Didcot Town won’t provide us any real opposition and a routine win is what’s expected although it would be great to kick off the Brendan Rodgers era with a huge win with plenty of well worked goals. Some say the result don’t matter, I say the result definitely matters – a winning mentality is a successful one and that mindset needs to be implemented as soon as possible.

A winning mentality in football needs a good goal scorer and at the moment Reading severely lack one – making this game that all more important for players like Shane Long, David Mooney and Simon Church to get in amongst the goals to claim a rightful starting spot. Noel Hunt is good for a goal but the other three have huge boots to fill and scoring a jagged uneventful hat-trick would be good practise to show the Reading faithful as well as the new gaffer that they are capable of replacing Kevin Doyle, Dave Kitson and Leroy Lita.

Stephen Hunt will be in the team and getting rid of him must be a priority. The Irishman has a defining influence on the team and the set-up and the sooner he moves the sooner we can replace him. It’s hardly a new fact that Hunt is looking to move elsewhere and I wouldn’t particular use him in any real format anymore. That left side position is in need of strengthening and the possible signing of Tommy Smith reinitiates our desire to sign the Championship’s biggest names and make a real challenge to get back to the cooperate fat cats in the Premier League.
But for now it’s a game against Didcot and anything par a good win would ultimately be a disappointment.

Go on Longer get us a goal or four.

First Day of Training and It's All Change

The first day of a long season has just begun, the players retreated to Hogwoods for the first day of training and there are plenty of familiar faces missing.

Seeing the pictures were peculiar without the presence of Graeme Murty and Marcus Hahnemann be there at training - it does not seem quite Reading.

To make things a little bit more stranger there was someone wearing the number 9 training kit. Unless my eyes deceive me, it was Shane Long sporting the garment, the one previously worn by Kevin Doyle. Does this mean that Brendan Rodgers sees Long as the long-term fix and the source of goals for next season? Or what is just coincides he wore that jersey?

It was nice to see Stephen Hunt turning up even though a move away is more or less a certainly – Rodgers even claimed on SSN that he expects the Irishman to move on.
Therefore, do we look for his replacement now or leave it when he leaves?

Rodgers spoke of how he wants at least four new players to join the squad he has inherited and he spoke of his desire to bring Tommy Smith to the club. A move that I support, even though Watford have reacted angrily to Rodgers’ comments. Who cares?
If Smith wants to move to Reading, in time he will do so.

Nathan Tyson has been rumoured that he is likely to rejoin the club and this would please me immensely. I always thought we got rid of him far too quickly as in time he would come good. He’s similar to Darius Henderson in retrospect, two young players we just sold cheaply and moved on to make a real names for themselves. Simon Cox is another, even though it’s claimed we have received a ‘significant’ sell-on fee, these players we should have been looking to develop.

At present, the current of crop of youngster should be given time to develop. Jem Karacan, Alex Pearce, Julian Kelly, James Henry, should all be given time to develop and they should ideally all have a pivotal role to play in this season coming up.

Nevertheless, Long is one youngster that will have the time to make the step up to a first team regular and being given the number 9 would give him much confidence to lead the line for the Royals. My God, I hope he does and I think he will.

How to replace Doyle?

It been something like a week since Kevin Doyle’s departed and the confusion hasn’t yet disappeared.

Why Wolves? I simply don’t get it. Someone of his talents deserves better - well at least Fulham I suppose.

Nevertheless, he has walked away from Berkshire for a season trying to save his new club from a relegation battle as we attempt to get back to the topflight.

Kudos to Doyle, thank you for the memories and there are plenty. And to be fair I will miss him dearly, he has constantly been one of my favourite players in our recent era.

The way he plays and the effort he puts in every time is a delight and unfortunately for us loyal royals, Wolves will get to experience all that first hand, as we ponder who will fill his boots.

Now whoever comes in will have huge task wearing that Number 9 shirt and I presume the new management team are looking intently for a suitable and adequate replacement.

We still have some quality left at the club with Noel Hunt good for a goal and I, unlike many, believe Shane Long will come prolific sooner rather than later. We have another Irish youngster waiting in the wings - Dave Mooney – he performed well for Norwich City at the latter end of last season and he could be good for a goal or two.

However, we do need a fourth striker – we have always had four at the club and we’ll be foolish not to splash out on a decent young striker. Similar to what we did with Leroy Lita when we signed him from Bristol City.

Promotion season we had Dave Kitson, Leroy, Doyle and Long and three of them were untested at Championship level at the time, they took the league by surprise and that is something we need to do.

Look to the lower leagues and see who has been scoring. We could have had Simon Cox but we practically gave him away to local rivals Swind*n Town and his goal scoring record was stunning in a team that was close to relegation.

At least we made a reported £6million from Doyle and that money will be put to good use hopefully.

The Joy of No Media

Hello, is anyone there?

The Mad Stad is a ghost town with only the living dead walking around.

It’s official no one in Reading is remotely happy. When getting my eagerly anticipated Graeme Murty testimonial ticket (I urge you to get yours) at the stadium, it remained me of a funeral. There wasn’t even a glimmer of a smile; even a smirk would have been a long shot, there was just people speaking about the good times.

I must have walked past ten people and they must have been all stuck in their dejection of another season in the Championship. I even asked what was wrong with that. Foolish. I almost lost my head. The Burnley defeat hurt but for Pete’s sake, more on.

Even the man who sold the tickets looked like he lost the will to live.

I walked quite happily humming the tune to that latest Take That song (forgive me), people must have thought I was nuttier than squirrel shit but this is a season not to be down. This is one season I am looking forward too.

Yes, there is no Premier League - blah blah blah - but this season the Championship is going to be the most competitive it’s going to be for years. And as my brilliant (I have to say that) university housemate Dave Kifford pointed out in his blog Black and White Toon – media coverage this season so far has been sparse at this level.

Fair enough, Newcastle’s scintillating soap opera may be a tad more extreme than ours but the media hasn’t been out in their masses labelling us ‘relegated Reading’ or asking the question ‘will they bounce straight back up?’

Now it’s time to go through a pre season without the pressure of previous seasons and expectations are not as high neither.

The fact remains no one can judge us yet nor see what we can be capable of doing but at least we know who are manager is (sorry Newcastle and West Brom fans). No doubt Brendan Rodgers is busy preparing himself for a hopeful preseason and an eventful season, when it finally gets here.

We can get players on the quiet and spring a real surprise next term. Fly under the radar so to speak.

Let’s hope that’s the case.

Nevertheless, Murty’s testimonial is on July 21st and the game itself seems a bit of a farce. Reading Now versus Reading 4 years ago is not ideal. It was going to be Celtic but surely the organisers could conjure up something better. An ex-England 11, like Parkinson’s, would be a lot better suited and be more potentially fun for spectators.

However, it does give us the chance for us to familiarise ourselves with some ‘famous’ faces.

What does Chris Makin look like again?

Gladly, Clubs are in the 'Hunt'

Depending on how you see it, there was great news coming out of Reading today.

Nick Hammond says the club have no qualms about Stephen Hunt declaring he wants to leave.

Brilliant, send him packing and to the next bidder, whatever that bid might be.

Don’t get me wrong, Hunt is a very good player - his natural ability is questionable but his exuberance and work rate shines out like a beckon. He has scored some important goals in the Premier League, after playing only a mere cameo role in our promotion season. His dedication to stay with the club was inspiring and down to him Reading’s good (ish) name tarnished in the media with his incident with Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech. Did he mean it? Did he bollocks.

However, the second half of the previous season he was appalling, non-existence and if it wasn’t for the performances of Chris Armstrong our entire left side would have been very weak.

It’s beyond me what Sunderland, Wigan, Everton, Fulham and Bolton potentially see how Hunt could add anything to their teams but maybe a fresh start would be good for the Frodo look alike and propel him to perform to his ability rather than sulk like an irritable child.

Recently Hunt showed a vast lack of enthusiasm for Reading and rarely looks bothered whether he’s involved in the game or not. Therefore, the club and the fans should not want him at the club if he doesn’t want to be there.

It looks if he thinks he has gotten too big for the club so Reading should cash in – a £5 million pound release clause maybe a bit excessive and may scare of any bidders– and buy young player bursting with potential or give Hal Robson-Kanu a go down the left.

Even if he does go, it would be on a slight sour note, Hunt has given us all some good and some very funny memories.

The winner at Everton at home, the cheeky offside goal at Goodison, the one of six against West Ham, his involvement in Keith Gillespie’s sending off, they are all memorable but as this is a new era (it’s kept being said) and Hunt, a big personality living on past glories, needs to move on.

He will be missed. Who else can be as deceptive as he can in passing? or when he takes on defenders? The thing I will miss the most would be his tackling; it’s just not normal.

The Loyal Royal

A heart-warming story or crazy fool?

You decide.

Nevertheless I am in awe of you - Charles McLeod, you take the term Loyal Royal pass all expectations.

And I honour you.

Full Story

'Winning Football'

Brendan Rodgers’ battle cry is in full force. The Reading website seems to have a different interview published every day on the manager’s intentions. Well it fills the void of nothing I suppose.

Today’s strong message was about him wanting the fans’ to be on his side.

“Our supporters are absolutely vital.” Rodgers told the Reading website, “They are down as number 13 on the teamsheet – and they certainly are just that.

“The atmosphere they can create, and the intensity of their emotion, it helps the players, no question.”

It’s all a rather nice sentiment at the moment and it reassure fans that something is happening, even though I expect these words were just an extension of the press conference when he was appointed but oh well it gives us something to read.

Rodgers says he is ‘the biggest Reading supporter’ and pledged to ‘give his life’ in order to bring success.

It’s all saying this but nothing has happened of note yet, us fans don’t quite know whose names we can be put on the back of our pending new shirts.

He continues, “It’s my job, with the players, to ensure that energy returns and the way to do that is with entertaining and exciting football – and of course winning football.”

His words do excite me a little.

‘Winning football’ – hallelujah!

Please, please, please, let that be the case.

On a lighter note, I’ve booked and reserved the hotel up in Newcastle for our first away trip of the season; Dick has volunteered to drive up there and that will be one fun road trip.

Let’s just hope it won’t be a fruitless journey.

Not the Sale I Thought

Thank God – the weekend huge clearance sale at Madejski was just limited to the season’s kit and glossy books and not our first team squad. Although I’m sure promoted teams will be able to pick up a bargain or two when the transfer window gets underway.

When this sale was first mentioned to me, I joked that Nicky Hammond and Co went devastatingly loopy and were going to get rid of everything – the players, the management, the match day staff, etc - when they mean a ‘new era’, they mean a ‘new era’. It wouldn’t be entirely bad, would it?

But after calming down from too many dodgy tasting Carling’s and exchanging way too many awkward stares with unattractive women, rationality kicked in and I realised that the items on sale are just endless reminders of when we were unconditionally loved by world football, well England anyway.

Merchandise is cheap; memories are priceless.

The football we played was sensational – the Arsenal of the Championship, some touted – and the support we got was tremendous. But all these memories are ever so slightly in vain if they are going to be casted of the shelves for a pound a piece to capricious supporters that only ‘like’ Reading when the going is good. It is a little disheartening to say the least.

All of this illusive merchandise was all going for bargain prices, it epitomises our distinguishing past, to those that paid hundreds, even thousands to live those memories of promotion but I least I can say, like many others, I was there and knowing that means a lot more. Those feelings can’t be merely brought for a flipping pound.

In essence, it looks as if the club just made the most of our small stint in the Premier League and completely overestimated how many fans supported Reading as their first club.

I, being the complete sad fuck I am, have all of them. The promotion DVD, the Premier League season– both discs, the relegation season and I will probably buy last season’s failure as well just remind myself what reality is like.

Now many of those players that made my wildest dreams come true – well not all of my wildest dreams, I’m still waiting for Jessica Alba to get back to me – will be sold off to the highest bidder and the good luck to them.

I saw Kevin Doyle’s first goal, I saw Leroy Lita slam in the winner against Middlesbrough, I saw Dave Kitson’s chip, and Bobby Convey running the length of the pitch to score against Millwal – these memories will forever be with me.

But I dwelling too much on the past so thanks for the memories lads, but it’s time to have some new ones.

A new season, a new manager, a new team, new prospects and a new way of doing things, this is going to be one hell of a season. I just hope more Reading fans will live every kick with me and perhaps the next lot of merchandise may not end up being worthless.

Wolves are Biting Again

Those Brown shirt-wearing bastards are at it again.

This time it’s for Kevin Doyle. According to Reading Chronicle, well Anthony Smith,
Wolves are closing in on the striker for an estimated £6.5 million to bolster their Premier League survival hopes.

I really, really, really hope he doesn’t join the ignorant, selfish Wolves side.

Those bullies always take our best players, this is a team we comfortably beat twice the previous season and know have the goalkeeper and potentially the striker that played so well against them.

To make daggers in the back hurt a little more, it was Marcus Hahnemann quotes saying that all these players will be leaving, and he probably hopes for company at his new side.

The ex-loyal Royal said, “I think its inevitable will go. They could well move on because I think the club are trying to off load some salaries.”

And to be fair he is right. Hahnemann is 37 years old and on a supposed £12,000 a week, so yeah his salary would probably be good to get off the wage bill.

Doyle’s worth his salary a little more and he will be a lot harder to replace. As long it’s not Robbie ‘I can barely score and cost a lot of money’ Earnshaw it’ll be fine.

Doyle will probably end up going but he can do much better than Wolves. I’m sure Everton or Aston Villa would be great options. He is that good. He’s a starter for his international side and he should be number one choice for his club side too, whoever that might be.

Planning for Next Season

The Fixtures are out and it’s sweet, sweet, sweet.

Nottingham Forest at home to begin with will be a good test but should be an expected win; although last season’s 1-0 defeat is trembling in my mind. God, I’ll be nervous.

Then a luscious trip to St James’ Park to play Newcastle United, the biggest away fixture will be out of the way before Reading gets into the thick of the action in the Championship. I’m already planning my trip up there. Last time I was up in the heavens at Newcastle, I witnessed, like many poor Loyal Royals, a convincing 3-0 defeat- damn you Viduka, Owen and Martins ruining my six-hour trip. I hope that we can catch them cold this time around, as they won’t be up to the pace of the Championship, but it’s anyone’s guess.

August in all will be a difficult month with away trips to Swansea City and Barnsley, and a grudge home match to Sheffield United. It would probably be fair to say that this month could outline our season. Maximum points and we are laughing, a few defeats would be damaging. I’m sure Brendan Rodgers will have his team playing slick football when the season starts; well we can hope can’t we?

A game that I’m particularly pleased in seeing is an away trip to Leicester City late March; more or least a repeat of the 2005/06 promotion season where a Kevin Doyle goal sealed our promotion (sobs). I doubt history would repeat itself but there is no harm in dreaming. I am a dreamer after all.

We finish the season with a tough home encounter against Preston North End but I doubt that game will be important; we would have promotion wrapped up in April. See told you I was a dreamer.

My wishful thinking may get the better of me again. Oh well, I have hope and far too excited for the new season.

Urzzzz

Jog on Moyes

Transfer speculation continues to grow and there is no sign for any players coming in.

Rumours are circulating that Stephen Hunt and Kevin Doyle are targets for Everton in a combined £7 million bid.

Jog on Moyes!

Doyle alone should be worth that. If Andy Johnson fetched £10 million when he was at Crystal Palace, Doyle should fetch something similar.

Fair enough, Hunt could go as small as £3 million after his abysmal end to the season. He was with the left side midfield position in the PFA team of the year somehow, now that spot should have gone to someone more worthwhile.
Hunt will still have that £5 million get out clause, but I doubt that would be activated.

Imagine still having Doyler in the team next season, we would be so good – well a top six finish at least.

Annoyingly, Newcastle and Middlesbrough already have bides for the first round of the Carling Cup. The Football League must be incredibly happy to have two huge teams in their region and preferable treatment is already underway. Let’s wait to see the fixtures if there really is favouritism.

Newcastle were in the Champions League not so long ago and Boro’ were UFEA cup finalist and it looked that the League may already be leaning in favour of the ‘Top Two’ in the Championship. It’s like they’ve been rewarded for being relegated, surely the playoff finalist should have one of those spots as they played a very season for nothing.

It’s a competition that we’ve not taken seriously for some time now and I’m not sure to prepare myself for a possible cup run. I was hoping for a trip to Wembley last season, I think I’ll keep my excitement to myself and who knows what will happen.