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Post by Simon Lill on Apr 20, 2012 13:01:32 GMT
Maybe they should ban sugar daddies? I mean, why's it fair that at one club a rich man can walk in and give money to a club they don't have or couldn't generate so they have a huge financial advantage over other clubs? Whilst on the other hand you get rogue business men going into clubs doing whatever they please, ruining the clubs finances to the point where fans end up losing their football clubs altogether. Hell, if I was running world football, I'd introduce a hard salary cap tomorrow. That would stop clubs running at ridiculous deficits. Players would hate it. Big clubs would hate it. But it would be great for the neutral to add a bit of democracy back to the game. Oddly enough, there is a wage cap in womens football. Work that out! |
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Post by Gary Baldi on Apr 20, 2012 14:23:33 GMT
Clubs and players would hate a hard salary cap. Not only would it be clearer what players contracts are, but it would restrict clubs paying stupid wages to average players and constantly going in for CVAs and the like. The sad thing is the financial fair play rules are fair play to only those at the moment now. The old boys club keeping themselves in clover stopping upstarts getting their piece of the pie.
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Post by westreading on Apr 22, 2012 12:01:05 GMT
Thanks to those of you have genuinely expressed your congratulations. I find it interesting though that many have also referred to as plastic or tinpot. OUFC themselves got 30,000 for their play off final last year in the conference, yet average 6-7,000 this year. Some on here have predicted that we'd average 2-3,000 if we were in League 2. Many forget though that despite Madejski's money and investment, he's never thrown silly money around. We were in freefall after Tommy Burns' reign ended around the turn of the century and on the verge of relegation to Division 3 (as it was then). We turned it around under Pardew (slowly) and still regularly got crowds of 14,000-16,000 in Division 2.
Secondly Brian McDermott was never number two to Steve Coppell, as has been stated on here by many. He was chief scout for many years, helping bring in players like Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Nicky Shorey and Gylfi Sigurdsson (through the academy system).
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2012 12:51:45 GMT
Fair play to Reading. Two championships in a few years. Brian McDermott has turned a struggling team into a club going places.
I guess there would be less jealousy from some supporters if Oxford could rise up the leagues in the same way.
Will be interesing to see how they fare next season when the talk is European football. I think that is a dream and a distant one at that. If you stay up that will be success
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2012 14:04:20 GMT
Thames Valley Royals, anybody? Nice plastic stadium at Didcot or somewhere?
(only joking!)
On a serious note, congratulations to Reading. Haven't spent stupidly and do seem pretty well run off the pitch. Their academy/coaching set up are trying to build links all over the place and doing a pretty good job of it - oufc take note! Every club gets plastic/glory supporters - how many of the 30,000 that went to Wembley have been to more than 1 other game since, I wonder?
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Post by Yellowbrains on Apr 23, 2012 0:48:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2012 9:38:03 GMT
On a serious note, congratulations to Reading. Haven't spent stupidly and do seem pretty well run off the pitch. Their academy/coaching set up are trying to build links all over the place and doing a pretty good job of it - oufc take note! Every club gets plastic/glory supporters - how many of the 30,000 that went to Wembley have been to more than 1 other game since, I wonder? Fair comments It does annoy me that when we get big crowds we boast about it, but when others do, they are "plastics" Success attracts bigger crowds, thats football. The constant sniping about other clubs crowds doesn't reflect very well on us as fans. |
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Post by Colin B on Apr 23, 2012 11:08:50 GMT
It's not the crowds that a club gets when it is successful that is the measure of it's "plasticness", but the crowds it gets when it is not successful that show it's fans loyalty.
For example, when we were at an all-time low, in the Conference, our fans stayed with us, and crowds averaged over 6,000 for two of the four seasons, and about 5,000 for the other two seasons. Compare this with Reading, in the late seventies and early eighties (and swindon for that matter) and they both averaged around 3,000 (below that in swindon's case). Therefore, they are more "plastic" as they only come out when there is success, whilst we stayed with our club.
The chant "Where were you when you were shit?" has never been more appropriate!
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Post by ox4eva on Apr 23, 2012 14:00:55 GMT
F*ck Em!
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Post by SteMerritt on Apr 23, 2012 14:42:30 GMT
It's not the crowds that a club gets when it is successful that is the measure of it's "plasticness", but the crowds it gets when it is not successful that show it's fans loyalty. For example, when we were at an all-time low, in the Conference, our fans stayed with us, and crowds averaged over 6,000 for two of the four seasons, and about 5,000 for the other two seasons. Compare this with Reading, in the late seventies and early eighties (and swindon for that matter) and they both averaged around 3,000 (below that in swindon's case). Therefore, they are more "plastic" as they only come out when there is success, whilst we stayed with our club. The chant "Where were you when you were shit?" has never been more appropriate! I don't think you can really compare crowds between now, and what happened in the late-70s, early 80s. And I sure one of their lot could quite easily point out that we struggled to average anywhere near 6,000 at Championship level back in the early 90s, and only just managed to pass that level in the top flight in 1988/9 |
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Post by Colin B on Apr 23, 2012 16:56:21 GMT
It's not the crowds that a club gets when it is successful that is the measure of it's "plasticness", but the crowds it gets when it is not successful that show it's fans loyalty. For example, when we were at an all-time low, in the Conference, our fans stayed with us, and crowds averaged over 6,000 for two of the four seasons, and about 5,000 for the other two seasons. Compare this with Reading, in the late seventies and early eighties (and swindon for that matter) and they both averaged around 3,000 (below that in swindon's case). Therefore, they are more "plastic" as they only come out when there is success, whilst we stayed with our club. The chant "Where were you when you were shit?" has never been more appropriate! I don't think you can really compare crowds between now, and what happened in the late-70s, early 80s. And I sure one of their lot could quite easily point out that we struggled to average anywhere near 6,000 at Championship level back in the early 90s, and only just managed to pass that level in the top flight in 1988/9 Well lets stick to the early eighties then, when all three clubs were in the doldrums, and attendances were pretty much at their lowest. Both Reading and swindon averaged 3,000 and odd for a few years at that time, whilst we never dropped below an average of 4,000. That proves that our fans are less fickle, and therefore less plastic, than theirs. The fact that our highest average is lower than their highest average, only goes to re-enforce the point further, about them being glory hunting, plastics. That is all. |
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Post by egox on Apr 23, 2012 19:53:27 GMT
Getting back to the point...no I certainly don't congratulate them. I have a hatred of Reading that just about exceeds the hatred of scumdon. The reason for this is geography. I live in north berks and grew up in south oxon. I know loads of reading fans and the majority would not continue to follow them if they dropped down the leagues. They are parttime fans that enjoy the good times. My opinion is shared by quite a few mates who all live in Henley-on-Thames (8 miles from reading) that have, like me, followed Oxford since the 80's. I cannot wait fir the bubble to burst. Perhaps when the new owner takes over it might actually disrupt the success they have had. I really hope so!!!!
So come on..theres enough hatred in your heart to despise both! As for Wycombe, still see them as non league and dislike Luton but not even close to how I feel about reading and scumdon.
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Post by Colin B on Apr 23, 2012 20:48:08 GMT
It would be easier to produce a list of clubs that I don't hate, as I hate pretty much everybody apart from Oxford United FC.
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Post by fishpaste on Apr 23, 2012 22:36:15 GMT
I'm 45 and I've always seen Reading as, at least, equal to Swindon for rivalry. I was originally from North Oxfordshire so the geography element doesn't apply.
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Post by SteMerritt on Apr 24, 2012 7:45:33 GMT
Both Reading and swindon averaged 3,000 and odd for a few years at that time, whilst we never dropped below an average of 4,000. 1980/1 we averaged 3,800ish according to Rage Online. Bill Asprey time that was, would have been one of my first seasons. Malcolm Shotton top scored that season. No idea what they were getting, and don't really care either. But 3 short years later we were averaging 8,500ish in the same division. Success brings bigger crowds. Also, New Stadiums bring bigger crowds as well, we are getting better attendances now than for the last few seasons at The Manor. If we were in the Championship now, playing good football, we would be getting big crowds, would they all be "plastic" as well? |
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Post by baldy on Apr 24, 2012 7:56:25 GMT
Both Reading and swindon averaged 3,000 and odd for a few years at that time, whilst we never dropped below an average of 4,000. 1980/1 we averaged 3,800ish according to Rage Online. Bill Asprey time that was, would have been one of my first seasons. Malcolm Shotton top scored that season. No idea what they were getting, and don't really care either. But 3 short years later we were averaging 8,500ish in the same division. Success brings bigger crowds. Also, New Stadiums bring bigger crowds as well, we are getting better attendances now than for the last few seasons at The Manor. If we were in the Championship now, playing good football, we would be getting big crowds, would they all be "plastic" as well? Casual fans want entertainment. Simple. Where would you go by choice if you were a casual - A welcoming, compact stadium watching a team play exciting football or a wind tunnel of a ground watching sterile, safe, defensive football ? The current OUFC experience is not really that great for the casual fan flipping a coin to see where he or she watches their football. |
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Post by SteMerritt on Apr 24, 2012 8:01:53 GMT
Good question Baldy, and one I can't answer, as I would never go and watch another team over Oxford no matter how shite we were. What I believe Eric is suggesting is Reading would be getting less fans than us if they were in our situation. He may be right, but I don't agree with his basis for this conclusion by stating attendances in the 80s. Hopefully we will find out in a few years time should their bubble burst.
For what it's worth, I do agree with Eric in his belief that all things being equal we are bigger than them - but it may just be bias on my part...
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Post by baldy on Apr 24, 2012 8:20:21 GMT
Good question Baldy, and one I can't answer, as I would never go and watch another team over Oxford no matter how shite we were. What I believe Eric is suggesting is Reading would be getting less fans than us if they were in our situation. He may be right, but I don't agree with his basis for this conclusion by stating attendances in the 80s. Hopefully we will find out in a few years time should their bubble burst. For what it's worth, I do agree with Eric in his belief that all things being equal we are bigger than them - but it may just be bias on my part... I doubt for the likes of us attendances will ever dip back to 3 or 4,000 and Reading will never go back to that sort of support. The reason quite simply is that football is so in vogue nowadays and unless that bubble bursts I just cannot envisage support like that again. In the 80's there was little to excite a lot of females watching football. Watching Peter Beardsley, standing on a terrace engulfed by fag smoke wasn't appealing. Watching a manicured David Beckham while sat in a seat in a spanking nice white stadium and a glass of wine at the break is a different kettle of fish. In my opinion the freshness of new stadiums, constant media exposure on front and back pages, Sky TV and the way footballers are heralded as fashion icons and the way they are portrayed in computer games for kids etc just makes the whole game more marketable and inviting for a whole load of fans who aren't nescessarily die hard football followers. |
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Post by moobs on Apr 24, 2012 9:04:45 GMT
admit it, we'd love to be where Reading are now. We all hoped 10 or so years ago that Mr Kassam was just like Mr Madejski and our return to the big time was imminent. Because that never materialised we like to get some sort of kick by proclaiming Reading are a plastic club and just because we've stagnated in the lower leagues there's something more real about OUFC.
I'd rather congatulate Reading and wish them the best than come across as jealous and bitter
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Post by baldy on Apr 24, 2012 9:59:39 GMT
admit it, we'd love to be where Reading are now. We all hoped 10 or so years ago that Mr Kassam was just like Mr Madejski and our return to the big time was imminent. Because that never materialised we like to get some sort of kick by proclaiming Reading are a plastic club and just because we've stagnated in the lower leagues there's something more real about OUFC. I'd rather congatulate Reading and wish them the best than come across as jealous and bitter After all it would be most unlike you to come across as 'jealous and bitter' wouldn't it. |
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Post by southstandyellow on Apr 24, 2012 10:36:52 GMT
moobs - you are NOT an Oxford fan - please disappear
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 11:12:11 GMT
admit it, we'd love to be where Reading are now. We all hoped 10 or so years ago that Mr Kassam was just like Mr Madejski and our return to the big time was imminent. Because that never materialised we like to get some sort of kick by proclaiming Reading are a plastic club and just because we've stagnated in the lower leagues there's something more real about OUFC. I'd rather congatulate Reading and wish them the best than come across as jealous and bitter Totally agree with that. We don't have to like Reading of course, but what they have done is to be admired and we should be big enough to show at least a grudging respect. |
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Post by concretebob on Apr 24, 2012 11:21:51 GMT
moobs - you are NOT an Oxford fan - please disappear You're right. He's a Dagenham fan. |
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Post by moobs on Apr 24, 2012 11:27:18 GMT
moobs - you are NOT an Oxford fan - please disappear *Yawn* |
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Post by tonyw on Apr 24, 2012 12:01:35 GMT
admit it, we'd love to be where Reading are now. We all hoped 10 or so years ago that Mr Kassam was just like Mr Madejski and our return to the big time was imminent. Because that never materialised we like to get some sort of kick by proclaiming Reading are a plastic club and just because we've stagnated in the lower leagues there's something more real about OUFC. I'd rather congatulate Reading and wish them the best than come across as jealous and bitter I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I would hate to be where Reading are now, heading to the Premiership. Every man and his dog suddenly having an opinion on who should be our right back. 25,000 crowds full of prawn sandwich-munchers who never cared until we started playing the big boys (yes, I know we got 30,000+ for Wembley but a one-off glory boy occasion is different from every week). Watching diving, shirt-grabbing, arrogant prats who earn more in a day than most of the crowd do in a year. It would be horrible - and is not even close to the experience I want from my football club. Which is a much more insular, community-orientated spirit. A one off Cup tie at a big club is a fun experience. But most weeks, I'd rather be on the terraces at Aldershot or Barnet or even Crawley. I would rather be back in the Conference than in the Premiership. And I mean that with every fibre of my being. |
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Post by Simon Lill on Apr 24, 2012 12:06:45 GMT
Amen to that ^^^
The Premier League is a cancer. I hope this club is never infected.
Maybe explains why I ain't bothered Reading have gone up
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Post by fishpaste on Apr 24, 2012 12:41:45 GMT
I always think you can judge the quality of a teams support by its away support. Reading have a smaller away support than us and Swindon.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 13:31:55 GMT
I agree that the Premier league is a cancer and all that.
BUT as a fan you can never truly not want your club to get beyond a certain level. Not wanting your club to reach a certain level effectively means that at some point you will have to want us to lose.
Its all very well saying it now as we can get promoted a few times before reaching the PL, but say we reach the Championship, it will become more real and everyone - the above posters included - will be wanting us to get promoted.
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Post by moobs on Apr 24, 2012 15:27:25 GMT
Strange, Tony usually talks sense but this is complete bollox.
I can see where he's coming from but when you look at Swansea for example, they have won many admirers aquitting themselves well in the top flight, you can't tell me you wouldn't enjoy playing Arsenal at the same level and beating them like Swansea have. You're telling me you'd rather have Burton or Macclesfield here in front of 5/6,000 as usual? do me a favour....
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Post by baldy on Apr 24, 2012 16:00:57 GMT
admit it, we'd love to be where Reading are now. We all hoped 10 or so years ago that Mr Kassam was just like Mr Madejski and our return to the big time was imminent. Because that never materialised we like to get some sort of kick by proclaiming Reading are a plastic club and just because we've stagnated in the lower leagues there's something more real about OUFC. I'd rather congatulate Reading and wish them the best than come across as jealous and bitter I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I would hate to be where Reading are now, heading to the Premiership. Every man and his dog suddenly having an opinion on who should be our right back. 25,000 crowds full of prawn sandwich-munchers who never cared until we started playing the big boys (yes, I know we got 30,000+ for Wembley but a one-off glory boy occasion is different from every week). Watching diving, shirt-grabbing, arrogant prats who earn more in a day than most of the crowd do in a year. It would be horrible - and is not even close to the experience I want from my football club. Which is a much more insular, community-orientated spirit. A one off Cup tie at a big club is a fun experience. But most weeks, I'd rather be on the terraces at Aldershot or Barnet or even Crawley. I would rather be back in the Conference than in the Premiership. And I mean that with every fibre of my being. This post is utter nonsense. Totally bizarre. I deduce by that that if we were going for promotion from the championship you would actually not be wanting us to win and would be wishing defeat upon us to prevent promotion, glory, £40 million and a place in the PL. Im not being funny but you seem reasonably well clued up on PL football. I find it odd that you must either watch it or read about it yet hate it so much that you do not want your team to partake in it. You cannot possibly be a true fan if that were the case |
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