Well it's in Reading's hands, but they've opened the promotion champers already. I wouldn't be doing that until there was nothing left to contest. Perhaps it's the first bad move McDermott has made all season..?
Sorry, posted this on the wrong thread earlier: Reckon they deserve one night off. You have to hand it to the McDermonator - his record is spookily perfectly segmented. Of his 131 games in charge, he's got an almost exact 50% total Reading wins (66) - Mr. Symmetry! 25% draws, and 25% wins near enough too. There is a line that has been drawn from Mourinho - I wonder where it end? Mourinho - Rodgers - McDermott: each influencing the other. I used to love Coppell too - Reading have a great lineage in managers, and, since Coppell, each as dour and unspectacular a character as you can hope to see giving a post-match interview. What's in the water?
It didn't help Brighton last year, they got that P next to their name, went on holiday and only won the league by three points. But we know what Nigel would say about Reading's results, and if we win the last two games and come second I don't think anyone would be too worried. As for Reading, I'm really happy that they've gone up. A lot of teams would not challenge after play-off heartache but Brian has got his troops together, it will be great to see another new face in the Premiership rather than someone from the merry-go-round (yes that's you Warnock). You don't go up if you don't deserve it, and they have done that.
If Reading are going to win the league, I'm glad they've been promoted first. Would hate to be promoted first, and then go on to not win the league - would feel a bit anti-climatic I think (maybe I'm alone in that)... Incidentally, does anyone know the last team to NOT be promoted first, but then end up winning the division?
It's the same argument we were bleating out last year when we finished runners-up to Brighton - along the lines of "if you discount all the games until Adkins arrived, we have been by far the best team in the league". That really wound Brighton up, and understandably so. It's like this phrase; if your Aunt had a penis she'd be your Uncle.
Personally I don't give a S*** what McDermott says or thinks, the season lasts 46 games, wouldn't it be nice if at the end of the season you were allowed to go through your results and say can you take these 7 out before you do the league table, whoever finishes top is the best team, we can point to the fact we haven't been out of the top 2 all season so therefore we must be the best team. Reading will just be happy to be in the Premier league getting the money that brings and so will we, the Championship trophy is a bonus, lets get up and enjoy the summer. Congratulations to Reading, COYR lets nick that bloody trophy it will look good at St Mary's.
Sounds like they'll be getting a lot more money from this new buyer of theirs as well. Apparently he's got quite the shortlist planned.
Bad news for us, as we'll be directly competing with them to get the same level of players (ie. those good enough for the Premiership, but who will be willing to move from a bigger team, and those hotshots who everyone wants from the Championship).
Nevertheless, I still dislike him and Reading as a club. Tinpot and delusional. Only ever had 2 seasons in the top flight and think they're a bigger club than us with their new owner. They can foook off.
That's just the attitude of their fans. Horrifically plastic supporter base but I admire the club and the people, other than the fans, who are involved with it. They're all very professional from the boardroom to the pitch - very much like us. Will be interesting to see which club, us or them, does better next season and beyond with those similarities.
And at least when you're competing with some teams ( I won't name any examples), the Hampshire area and the wife's opinion help the choice to come to the south coast. But Berkshire is right up most footballer's wives' street, and a nice place to live. And nearer London for the players' favourite nightclubs, where they can join [super injunction] and [super injunction] for a night out.
Can't understand why getting promotion after losing play off final is more of an achievement than what we've done from League1. Yes, Norwich did it last season but that doesn't make it less of an achievement. Not counting chickens etc but if we go up I'd like to think the pundits who were saying birmingham to join west ham a couple of months ago will realise they don't know much more than us joe publics!
If we seem to be getting less attention, then it's probably just because so many had us as nailed on for promotion anyway. Top two all season and then Norwich having been there and got the t-shirt before us. It's really a sort of compliment that our p******** has seemed to have been assumed.
I don't get that impression at all. What I see is a very well run club, with an excellent soon to be ex-owner, with very grounded players and staff. There are no Hooray Henry's there. Sadly, a club can't help the make up or alter the character of its fans; they can only encourage. We could alter the character of ourselves by not indulging in hatred or even dislike of other clubs fans. It demeans us to do so. In my opinion, I'll be very pleased for Saints to accompany Reading into the PL and we'll both be assets to it.
What we've done is far better than what Norwich did. We've been leading/ second for the whole season. Up there to be shot at, and stayed consistent and strong throughout.
