Is there a generation gap among fans?

[facaldaqui]

I've no idea what age people are on here, but some of the criticism seems to me too extreme. Here we are second in the Championship and some people are still not happy: recently, Hobnobbers have been queueing up to wish the likes of Hunt and Harper, two of our key players, were out the door.

Myself, I go back to the sixties, when my dad started taking me to games. My first Reading memory is Dougie Webb being knocked unconscious and my being frightened by it. As a result of supporting a minnow for so long, I regard the last few years as a sort of dreamland. Even now I am having to pinch myself that Reading are second in a division that once seemed to me so mighty and unattainable compared to Reading's perennial status in the old third and fourth divisions. I still can't believe that teams like Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Coventry, etc. are wallowing below us! Che? For this reason, I find it difficult to really criticise Coppell and his men. They seem remarkable people to me, who constantly do things I wouldn't expect--for example, I wasn't too keen on Kelly facing Wolves, but Coppell was vindicated. In fact, beating them with three out of four of our normal back four missing for most of the match seems to me a completely unpredictable and remarkable feat.

I wonder sometimes if some of our fans who have only seen the last fifteen years or so are judging the present team by the remarkable standards we achieved in our championship season and the first season in the prem. Why shouldn't they, to be fair? I agree that we are short of that level, but we are doing fantastically well. Honest. I hope it will last a long time and some of the moaners never have to experience lower division life. Yes, we had some great times down there, but, to be honest, during bad runs, going to games was a mindless chore; the number of times I was bored out of my head at Elm Park doesn't bear thinking about. Harman, Paul Bence, Ollie Kearns, Brian Carnaby ... try watching that ilk week in and week out. Anyone decent, like Jenkins or Dixon, and they were bought pretty soon. Compared to that, what's happening at the moment is beyond unbelievable. Quite honestly, when we got relegated last season, I quietly resigned myself to the end of the glory days. I feel spoilt that we're up for promotion again. Once again, I can't quite believe it.

[Royal Lady]

I've been supporting Reading home and away for nearly 30 years and I don't rate SHunt or Harper that much. So make of that what you will.

[SLAMMED]

Touché

[facaldaqui]

Understood. But would we be better without them? They're part of a team that's second.

[rfcjoe]

I do wonder why old folk bother going to football as any success we have in the future, they will not be around to witness it.

[facaldaqui]

Depends what you mean by old. I'm 54. Old but hopefully a decade or two left in me yet.

[Baines]

As to your general point, I think that people who watched pre-Mcghee are, for the most part, less critical and are more easily satisfied.

However, as a high proportion of football crowds is made up of moaners, and always has been as far as I can tell, there are plenty of exceptions to this rule.

[SLAMMED]

I do wonder why old folk bother going to football as any success we have in the future, they will not be around to witness it.

ALOL! Thats the same reason i dont care about my carbon footprint.

[rfcjoe]

Depends what you mean by old. I'm 54. Old but hopefully a decade or two left in me yet.

I was joking around but ok..

[facaldaqui]

I see the point though. I wish my dad could have seen us in the premier. Or my grandad. They both spent their lives watching Reading without seeing them above the old third. I feel privileged. At one end of my life I've seen Reading in the prem; and at the other, I saw England win the World Cup (well, on telly, anyway). I've a horrible feeling that many people are going to go through their whole life without seeing England win the World Cup. The only thing I'd still like to see is Reading win the FA Cup; I don't see why not.

[Woodcote Royal]

Being 12 certainly has it's drawbacks

[weybridgewanderer]

...many people are going to go through their whole life without seeing England win the World Cup....

here's hoping!!

[seahawk10]

Top post facaldaqui! I am quite new to supporting Reading, I have only seen the good times to be honest. And I am as much of an RTG as you will see on here so I am not one to complain about our current players.

But let me give you one bit of advice about Hob Nob:
1 - There is always a whipping boy du jour that people like to slag off. When I started it was Hunt, then Seol, then Oster, then Hunt again, then Sidwell, then Shorey, then Lita, then back to Hunt and now Harper and Hunt. Even Doyle for a bit was getting some stick when he went through his scoring drought (depsite the poor service given him from the wings) last season.

2 - The people who post on here are a vocal minority. And we all may have favorites that we like and we may over look their faults. But let's face it, *every* player has faults and at times during the game make mistakes. The whingers on here will focus on those mistakes and ignore the good plays.

So in the end, don't let it get to you. THESE ARE THE GLORY DAYS OF RFC. And long may they continue.

[Great Knolly]

The internet has changed things. With the internet, people now seem to genuinely think that their views are important, and might even have some influence. Fans have become pseudo-managers in their own heads. That's the biggest change. Me, I go along to enjoy getting to know the players in the team I support, and seeing how that team evolves. It's only been a pleasure really for the last 6 or so years. Along the way personal heroes emerge. Players that appeal to me for reasons I can't always pin down. The likes of Wdowczyk, Forster, Little, Bikey, Kebe.
Forster is good test case. I thought he was brilliant. Always trying something and occasionally pulling it off with great style. But then there are those who seem to remember him as being off-side too often and wasting too many chances - chances that he'd often created himself.
I think in general we should learn to enjoy following Reading FC more. There's not much to get riled about at the moment is there ? Some people like to be riled I suppose.

[Norfolk Royal]

I fought in the First World War.

[SLAMMED]

I fought in the First World War on a computer game.

[rg6royal]

Harper despite the criticism he gets is a good player and has been a great servant to the club. If he does move on then that opens the door for Karacan. Thats Talent.

[Victor Meldrew]

Understood. But would we be better without them? They're part of a team that's second.

Maybe we would be top.

[Victor Meldrew]

Before I ever came on Hob Nob I thought football fans in general liked most of their teams' players but disliked a few and one of the joys of following a football team was to find something to moan about whether you followed Rochdale or Man Utd,Gillingham or Chelsea.
I never realised that there were people who are RTGs where every player is wonderful and every thing the club or it's staff does is wonderful.
Over the years I have mostly liked and supported our players but along the way I disliked Palethorpe,Meaker,Hughes,Rougier and Hunt for various reasons(ironically all wingers) but loved (possibly a bit strong) Dennis Allen,Bowman,Jenkins,Dixon,Webb,Senior,Darius,Shaka,Osborn,Parky,Cureton,Kitson,Doyle (mainly midfielders and strikers).

Like the original poster I have followed the club at all levels and early on would have been satisfied for us to be a mid-table second tier club but was envious of teams who I saw originally at our level go on to better things and win cups and play at the top level-the likes of Southampton,Coventry,Swindon,Ipswich,Norwich etc. and ex-non-league sides like Oxford and Wimbledon win cup finals at Wembley.
After the club raised our expectations by getting to the top level I then wanted us to become a top level club such as Wigan and remain there.
Last season I think the club blew it and unfortunately this team now although likely to go up again is IMHO some way below the previous promoted side and I fear the worst without a massive influx of better players.

So I fall into the aged (but not so grateful as the poster) category and for my remaining few years I would love to see us win a cup other than the Simod and play regularly at the top level.
The club has raised my expectations and my season ticket price and in making criticisms of any players it is because I want our team to keep on improving and be good enough to hold down that place in the Premier League.
I was more than content with our first season finish there but feel that the club was too blase about everything and the non-extension of the ground now suggests to me that people who run the club didn't really believe we could stay at that top level.
Maybe next time it will be different.
The drug of following a team is a real addiction and I don't want to wean myself off it just yet but a shot or two of top level quality drug again would be a real pleasure.

[SteveRoyal]

Harper despite the criticism he gets is a good player and has been a great servant to the club. If he does move on then that opens the door for Karacan. Thats Talent.

Now that is a good thought.