Goals you wish Reading hadn't scored

[Jerry St Clair]

Michael Gilkes at Birmingham in 1990.
Wasn't there, but LOLd at the subsequent TTB report. It was the final game and Brum needed a win for promotion. Their fans had already invaded the pitch twice when Gilkesey broke clear late in the second half. A collective shout of "miss it you stupid bastard" goes up from the travelling band of Royals (well, one of them), only for Gilkes to slot home. Queue a mass pitch invasion heading straight for the away end. Reading fans now start working out how best to escape St Andrews in one piece.

Barry Hunter against Scunthorpe 27 November 1999
One of the most pitiful performances in a pitiful season. Losing 1-0 at home with 5 mins left the East Stand is in uproar and moving towards the edge of the pitch singing "We're shit, and we're sick of it". It's clear there is going to be a pitch invasion on the final whistle in the same vein as the Palace and Port Vale ones at Elm Park. Then, in the 87th minute, Barry Hunter rises above the defence to head home. No celebrations around me - just a collective "Oh, fukk". The goal just papered over the cracks of a team that was heading for the 4th Division.

In hindsight, I'm not sure what a pitch invasion would have achieved. Pardew was new in the job and, clearly, getting rid of him would have changed the history of the club, and probably not for the better. At the time it felt awful, though.

[Wimb]

Leroy Lita vs Watford 2009

If Leroy doesn't score that after being brought in from the cold then Sir Steve might be more tempted to invest in another striker, another striker and we might just have the spark needed to win one of our final half dozen home games and pip Birmingham to promotion.

[peterroyal76]

Rougier's at the Millenium stadium.

[Spirit of Elm Park]

Michael Gilkes at Birmingham in 1990.
Wasn't there, but LOLd at the subsequent TTB report. It was the final game and Brum needed a win for promotion. Their fans had already invaded the pitch twice when Gilkesey broke clear late in the second half. A collective shout of "miss it you stupid bastard" goes up from the travelling band of Royals (well, one of them), only for Gilkes to slot home. Queue a mass pitch invasion heading straight for the away end. Reading fans now start working out how best to escape St Andrews in one piece.

My god, when I read the thread title, straight in to put this on.

I was one of those who eventually managed to convince the stewards it was a good idea that we just leave thank you very much. Walked down the road behind the main stand and was confronted by a rather angry bluenose who just said "Where you from lad?", as a 16 year old and not always first with the great wit or repparte my considered response was "er....Reading?" He then threw a pretty rusty right at me, missing, but putting him so off balance that I merely had to push him over. His head then met the adjacent wall quite accidentally. As I ran away back to the Away terrace, I saw him cupping his now claret covered mug. Remember it like yesterday. I also remember the simply daft escorted walk back to New Street. 2 cops and a dog past pretty much every blue pub on the way.
Ahhhhh....the days.

[W.A.S.F.C.]

Terry Bell's og at Villa relegating us to the 4th Division for the first time.

[Terminal Boardom]

Trevor Senior's stupidly late winner v Barry Town in the FA Cup back in 1984. Complete and total carnage as soon as that went in. Without doubt, the most horrible experience I have ever had at a Reading game.

[bloody Volvo driver]

Dave Kitson v BHA 10-12-05

We were 4-1 up and cruising to another regulatory victory in our 05-06 season as the lino holds up 3 additional minutes play.

2 hours or so before I had put a tenner on Reading 4 BHA 1@ (I believe) 18-1 - either way I was in for a decent return a couple of weeks before Christmas.

Kitson then bundles the ball over the line for a really pointless goal in the scheme of our season (although it did get our Dave the matchball) but cost me knocking on for £200.

Not a happy bunny.

[TBM]

Matts Mills v Swansea - Play off final

Really wish he didn't get my hopes up when i had already conceded defeat by half time.

[Royal Lady]

Trevor Senior's stupidly late winner v Barry Town in the FA Cup back in 1984. Complete and total carnage as soon as that went in. Without doubt, the most horrible experience I have ever had at a Reading game.

They were animals.

[East Stand Ste]

Reading Preston....i think we won 3-0.....i had bet on 2-0 Reading with Curteton to score first goal......going into injury time Curo popped up and scored a 3rd

[handbags_harris]

Dave Kitson v BHA 10-12-05

We were 4-1 up and cruising to another regulatory victory in our 05-06 season as the lino holds up 3 additional minutes play.

2 hours or so before I had put a tenner on Reading 4 BHA 1@ (I believe) 18-1 - either way I was in for a decent return a couple of weeks before Christmas.

Kitson then bundles the ball over the line for a really pointless goal in the scheme of our season (although it did get our Dave the matchball) but cost me knocking on for £200.

Similar vein to this. Reading 5-1 PNE, Reading 2-0 up at half time and cruising against 10-man PNE, Forster scoring twice. I'd backed a Forster hat-trick at 33/1 pre-match and stuck £10 on it and was absolutely ecstatic when we won a penalty thanks to the PNE keeper taking down Glen Little (and getting himself sent off into the bargain). I was absolutely convinced that Fozzie was going to take it, so I was livid when Shorey stepped up to score it, probably the first time I've not celebrated a goal.

The difference between mine and bvd's story is that Forster scored a minute later

[Norfolk Royal]

I think Quinn's third for us in the play off final defeat against Bolton was possibly the most pointless of all time.

The game was lost but we just had to score again

[LWJ]

Bit different.. had £10 on Harte to score first and Reading to win 4-2 at Forest last season.. odds were something stupid like 650/1

[Snowball]

Leroy Lita vs Watford 2009

If Leroy doesn't score that after being brought in from the cold then Sir Steve might be more tempted to invest in another striker, another striker and we might just have the spark needed to win one of our final half dozen home games and pip Birmingham to promotion.

I had a bet Armstrong first goal and 3-0, I was on for thousands.

The Watford keeper made a brill save around 90 minutes and I went ballistic.

Then Lita...

[1871 Royal]

I never, ever, ever bet on Reading. Tis the golden rule surely. So no goal has ever let me down in the regards.

So I can't really think of a goal I wish we hadn't scored, that I have seen.

[Focher]

Michael Gilkes at Birmingham in 1990.
Wasn't there, but LOLd at the subsequent TTB report. It was the final game and Brum needed a win for promotion. Their fans had already invaded the pitch twice when Gilkesey broke clear late in the second half. A collective shout of "miss it you stupid bastard" goes up from the travelling band of Royals (well, one of them), only for Gilkes to slot home. Queue a mass pitch invasion heading straight for the away end. Reading fans now start working out how best to escape St Andrews in one piece.

what an absolutely belting call i was at this game, total carnage before and after the goal.

For the record i was wearing an 'Among The Living' by Anthrax t shirt that day

[Spirit of Elm Park]

For the record i was wearing an 'Among The Living' by Anthrax t shirt that day

For the record...I was wearing clean underpants at the start of the day

[Ark Royal]

Trevor Senior's stupidly late winner v Barry Town in the FA Cup back in 1984. Complete and total carnage as soon as that went in. Without doubt, the most horrible experience I have ever had at a Reading game.

Agreed. When Trev scored, I turned to my uncle and said "Let's get the fu ck outta here" as the bricks rained down.

[Agent Balti]

Michael Gilkes at Birmingham in 1990.
Wasn't there, but LOLd at the subsequent TTB report. It was the final game and Brum needed a win for promotion. Their fans had already invaded the pitch twice when Gilkesey broke clear late in the second half. A collective shout of "miss it you stupid bastard" goes up from the travelling band of Royals (well, one of them), only for Gilkes to slot home. Queue a mass pitch invasion heading straight for the away end. Reading fans now start working out how best to escape St Andrews in one piece.

As I didn't drive at the time, I went on the coach. IIRC, I remember belting it out of St. Andrews towards the coaches which seemed to be parked miles away across a gravel car park (could be wrong, but that's how I remember it.) Some the coach was about a third full or so when a guy got on the coach with his head covered in blood. Can't recall if he was stoned (not in the 'off his tits' sense) or pounced upon but he was a mess.

Then, we leaving Brum, a car tried to ram the coach! Hmm...car vs bus...who'd win?! Then the plod turned up with a couple of bikes and quite possibly a jam sandwich or two to end proceedings.

I did think at the time when Gilkesy was running towards us with the keeper to beat - "Go on, my son...oh fcuk...he's scored...RUUUUN!!!"

[Chaney]

Michael Gilkes at Birmingham in 1990.
Wasn't there, but LOLd at the subsequent TTB report. It was the final game and Brum needed a win for promotion. Their fans had already invaded the pitch twice when Gilkesey broke clear late in the second half. A collective shout of "miss it you stupid bastard" goes up from the travelling band of Royals (well, one of them), only for Gilkes to slot home. Queue a mass pitch invasion heading straight for the away end. Reading fans now start working out how best to escape St Andrews in one piece.

Barry Hunter against Scunthorpe 27 November 1999
One of the most pitiful performances in a pitiful season. Losing 1-0 at home with 5 mins left the East Stand is in uproar and moving towards the edge of the pitch singing "We're shit, and we're sick of it". It's clear there is going to be a pitch invasion on the final whistle in the same vein as the Palace and Port Vale ones at Elm Park. Then, in the 87th minute, Barry Hunter rises above the defence to head home. No celebrations around me - just a collective "Oh, fukk". The goal just papered over the cracks of a team that was heading for the 4th Division.

In hindsight, I'm not sure what a pitch invasion would have achieved. Pardew was new in the job and, clearly, getting rid of him would have changed the history of the club, and probably not for the better. At the time it felt awful, though.

pants day