Opposition fans back from the game - 24/25 page 225 onwards

[Esteban]

Was quite surprised at how quickly the grounds staff started cutting the grass post-match. Guess it’s easier at this time of year doing it while the floodlights are still on. Wonder if it’s the best way to preserve the quality of (what’s left of) the pitch?

I think they always do that. A quick Google suggests that it's not an actual cut, more of a light trim, the main purpose of which is to remove debris.

[grey_squirrel]

The pitch at the MadStad has never been good. I remember Coppell once saying he didn’t give a damn what it looked like as long as it was flat.

Still I much preferred the cabbage patch mud and sand pitches of the ‘70s. Much more entertaining and easier to spot a quality player.

[Royal Ginger]

I thought the Mad Stad issues were historically egg chaser related and had been better since they sodded off.

[JedMaxwell]

I thought the Mad Stad issues were historically egg chaser related and had been better since they sodded off.

Yeah, whatever people used to say rugby always cuts a pitch up worse because a) they're all fat lumps rolling around on top of each other b) they have huge (and fat/long) studs which churn like mad during scrums and c) a lot of the 'action points' involve sliding which doesn't help the grass.

Where we've still been slightly knackered since the rugby went is the amount of minor games being played on the pitch, which hinders the recovery time.

[Royal Rother]

Still I much preferred the cabbage patch mud and sand pitches of the ‘70s. Much more entertaining and easier to spot a quality player.

An interesting take on it.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I thought the Mad Stad issues were historically egg chaser related and had been better since they sodded off.

Yeah, whatever people used to say rugby always cuts a pitch up worse because a) they're all fat lumps rolling around on top of each other b) they have huge (and fat/long) studs which churn like mad during scrums and c) a lot of the 'action points' involve sliding which doesn't help the grass.

Where we've still been slightly knackered since the rugby went is the amount of minor games being played on the pitch, which hinders the recovery time.

Back to Sunday, it was 2 games in 3 days in winter. Basically no recovery time with a paper thin ground staff team.

It should be better for most of our games.

[Clyde1998]

I thought the Mad Stad issues were historically egg chaser related and had been better since they sodded off.

Yeah, whatever people used to say rugby always cuts a pitch up worse because a) they're all fat lumps rolling around on top of each other b) they have huge (and fat/long) studs which churn like mad during scrums and c) a lot of the 'action points' involve sliding which doesn't help the grass.

Where we've still been slightly knackered since the rugby went is the amount of minor games being played on the pitch, which hinders the recovery time.

Back to Sunday, it was 2 games in 3 days in winter. Basically no recovery time with a paper thin ground staff team.

It should be better for most of our games.

I know there are currently (or at least as of late-September) three full-time ground staff at the stadium (four at the training ground), with additional bodies brought in for match days. Those ground staff don't just do the pitch, but also do stadium maintenance; lighting systems; waste management; etc.

[AthleticoSpizz]

…..and (at least) one of them is looking to get away….general consensus being, they’ve had enough. Silk purses, cows ears, uncertainties etc.

[skipper]

I have a big hatred for Reading and those two scoring three against us sums up why. Stole both from us with higher wages and failed to pay their non paying staff. Cheats.

Interesting take on it.

I mean our fans would be the first to complain about the non-payment of wages.


Are they higher wages? Didn't we have a bunch of rules to follow? Presumably linked to our income? Which i'll take a leap of faith and suggest is higher than theirs?

[Brogue]

Lol salty much. If we hadn’t taken them someone else would, they were both out of contract.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Well, we know Wing took a pay cut from Wycombe (IIRC his missus said that...)

So if we're paying more than Cambridge, that must be because they are playing really sh1t wages, so it's hardly "theft."

[Snowflake Royal]

I have a big hatred for Reading and those two scoring three against us sums up why. Stole both from us with higher wages and failed to pay their non paying staff. Cheats.

Interesting take on it.

I mean our fans would be the first to complain about the non-payment of wages.


Are they higher wages? Didn't we have a bunch of rules to follow? Presumably linked to our income? Which i'll take a leap of faith and suggest is higher than theirs?

Oh we're definitely paying them more than Cambridge could. And certainly our income is higher, we're on TV more and our attendance is about double theirs.

Our wage bill is mostly back under control, but it's good for L1 still.

'We' (SCL) did pay the non-paying staff in the end though didn't we? Obviously shamefully late several times.

[WestYorksRoyal]

The reality is last season was our low watermark for the past 25 years and their high watermark over the same period. We still finished above them. It's obvious why players would make the move. Get over it.

[Sutekh]

I have a big hatred for Reading and those two scoring three against us sums up why. Stole both from us with higher wages and failed to pay their non paying staff. Cheats.

Usual deluded know nothing comments. How were they stolen exactly, did Brian Carey knock them out and lock them in his SUV after training one day when no one was looking or were they out of contract and preferred the greater chance of eventually playing at a higher level one day rather than fighting to avoid the drop year after year in a 3rd world stadium? Probably on more dosh but not without approval of the FL.

[Snowflake Royal]

I have a big hatred for Reading and those two scoring three against us sums up why. Stole both from us with higher wages and failed to pay their non paying staff. Cheats.

Usual deluded know nothing comments. How were they stolen exactly, did Brian Carey knock them out and lock them in his SUV after training one day when no one was looking or were they out of contract and preferred the greater chance of eventually playing at a higher level one day rather than fighting to avoid the drop year after year in a 3rd world stadium? Probably on more dosh but not without approval of the FL.

Bit of humility wouldn't go amiss. You're in danger of a jimmy everyone else in L1 is tinpot attitude.

Cambridge are in a bad place, and that's largely because we've nabbed their goalscorers. Reasonable to be resentful.

[Carnabyswhiskers]

I have a big hatred for Reading and those two scoring three against us sums up why. Stole both from us with higher wages and failed to pay their non paying staff. Cheats.

Interesting take on it.

I mean our fans would be the first to complain about the non-payment of wages.


Are they higher wages? Didn't we have a bunch of rules to follow? Presumably linked to our income? Which i'll take a leap of faith and suggest is higher than theirs?

Isn't this what all fans say? I have been listening for days to Liverpool fans calling Trent AA 'traitor' and 'rat' for doing what Knibbs and Smith both did, leave at the end of their contract to someone offering them higher wages.

[Sutekh]

I have a big hatred for Reading and those two scoring three against us sums up why. Stole both from us with higher wages and failed to pay their non paying staff. Cheats.

Interesting take on it.

I mean our fans would be the first to complain about the non-payment of wages.


Are they higher wages? Didn't we have a bunch of rules to follow? Presumably linked to our income? Which i'll take a leap of faith and suggest is higher than theirs?

Isn't this what all fans say? I have been listening for days to Liverpool fans calling Trent AA 'traitor' and 'rat' for doing what Knibbs and Smith both did, leave at the end of their contract to someone offering them higher wages.

Impression I get is they’re hacked off with him more for always being the “one of their own” who said he wanted to stay and captain the club but as soon as their idiot owners **** up his contract renewal he’s keeping silent and trying to string both sides along rather than just coming clean at he wants up front. Of course that’s his decision and if he wants to do that then fine but he has to live with the reactions. Oh and there is a Reading FC link in this too as his uncle is former Reading player John Alexander.

[Sutekh]

I have a big hatred for Reading and those two scoring three against us sums up why. Stole both from us with higher wages and failed to pay their non paying staff. Cheats.

Usual deluded know nothing comments. How were they stolen exactly, did Brian Carey knock them out and lock them in his SUV after training one day when no one was looking or were they out of contract and preferred the greater chance of eventually playing at a higher level one day rather than fighting to avoid the drop year after year in a 3rd world stadium? Probably on more dosh but not without approval of the FL.

Bit of humility wouldn't go amiss. You're in danger of a jimmy everyone else in L1 is tinpot attitude.

Cambridge are in a bad place, and that's largely because we've nabbed their goalscorers. Reasonable to be resentful.

Cambridge are nearly always in a bad place, they struggled at this level with those players. The players went at the start of last season so not as if they’ve just upped sticks last week. They were out of contract and they didn’t want to stay there and could have ended up anywhere but Reading, even with the issues, obviously appealed compared to the other offers they had on the table.

And Reading, and lots of clubs, have lost players to supposed bigger clubs in the same division on likely higher wages, but I’ve never thought they’ve been “stolen” it’s just one of those things that happens.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I have a big hatred for Reading and those two scoring three against us sums up why. Stole both from us with higher wages and failed to pay their non paying staff. Cheats.

Usual deluded know nothing comments. How were they stolen exactly, did Brian Carey knock them out and lock them in his SUV after training one day when no one was looking or were they out of contract and preferred the greater chance of eventually playing at a higher level one day rather than fighting to avoid the drop year after year in a 3rd world stadium? Probably on more dosh but not without approval of the FL.

Bit of humility wouldn't go amiss. You're in danger of a jimmy everyone else in L1 is tinpot attitude.

Cambridge are in a bad place, and that's largely because we've nabbed their goalscorers. Reasonable to be resentful.

Tbh I think it's often other fans who need a bit of humility. I reminds me of when we were competing with West Ham and started saying that Pardew had betrayed us, we almost saw them as a rival. And for quite a while they were underperforming at the same time we were peaking and so it felt even more like that.

It's only with hindsight you realise they're a different stratosphere of club to whom we're an irrelevance. It's the same with some clubs down here.

Yes, we all deserve to be in this league, and our off pitch situation remains very concerning. But we're a big club at this level and of course players will want to join us. If Cambridge fans can't see that they're probably being blinded by emotion over reason.

I don't like talking in those terms, but being a "big club" in your league matters. It's how we've been able to pull together a good team without paying any transfer fee.

[Snowflake Royal]

Usual deluded know nothing comments. How were they stolen exactly, did Brian Carey knock them out and lock them in his SUV after training one day when no one was looking or were they out of contract and preferred the greater chance of eventually playing at a higher level one day rather than fighting to avoid the drop year after year in a 3rd world stadium? Probably on more dosh but not without approval of the FL.

Bit of humility wouldn't go amiss. You're in danger of a jimmy everyone else in L1 is tinpot attitude.

Cambridge are in a bad place, and that's largely because we've nabbed their goalscorers. Reasonable to be resentful.

Cambridge are nearly always in a bad place, they struggled at this level with those players. The players went at the start of last season so not as if they’ve just upped sticks last week. They were out of contract and they didn’t want to stay there and could have ended up anywhere but Reading, even with the issues, obviously appealed compared to the other offers they had on the table.

And Reading, and lots of clubs, have lost players to supposed bigger clubs in the same division on likely higher wages, but I’ve never thought they’ve been “stolen” it’s just one of those things that happens.

So some humility is warranted, not a billy big bollox attitude.