1871 - the ultimate Reading FC website

Archived News - May 2002

Friday, 31st May

Channel 4 have recently shown a programme called T4: The Players on Sunday lunchtimes, featuring the Crystal Palace Under-19 side from last season. They are repeating the six episodes next week at 10am each weekday (with two episodes on Tuesday). The first show on Monday 3rd June includes footage of Reading's match away to Crystal Palace, although as we lost heavily it may not the best thing to publicise. Also likely to feature in the programmes is Steve Warren, who Reading signed from Palace in April.

Friday, 24th May

Graeme Murty and John Salako are named in the Nationwide Division 2 team of the year. I have looked for some explanation as to how this team is chosen, and can find none. Clearly the PFA team (which included Murty and Nicky Forster) is chosen by their members, but I assume that the Nationwide team is chosen by a panel of experts. You would think that by removing all the ignorance, local favouritism and voting for old mates that is rampant in the PFA vote, there would be a more accurate selection, but apparently that is not the case. Regardless of how well Salako played for Reading it is difficult to see how his six months in the division justified inclusion in the team.

Wednesday, 22nd May (published Friday, 24th May)

The Football League have found Blackpool not guilty of fielding an under-strength side in their League game at home to Brentford (a clear 3-1 defeat five days before the LDV Vans Trophy final back in March). Blackpool have then decided to attack Reading. Their chairman makes a series of very accurate statements about Reading being the best team in Division 2, and suggests that the protest against Blackpool was only because Alan Pardew was trying to hide his own failings over not winning the title. This just ignores the fact that several other clubs, including both of the other two that were promoted, also complained, and that the initial comments were made long before anyone knew who was going up.

Quite apart from that, the clear conclusion from the Football League ruling is that there is now no reason at all for any side to field their strongest possible line-up in a game. Yet again when football authorities are given a golden opportunity to set a good example and lay down the law, they instead wimp out. In this case, they have agreed with Blackpool that all the players missing from the Brentford game were injured, despite the Blackpool manager's clear statements at the time that this was not the case, and also ignoring the fact that the players concerned were all fit the previous Saturday and the following Sunday.

Wednesday, 15th May

In their final game of the Toulon International Tournament, the Republic of Ireland Under-20 side gained their first point with a 2-2 draw against Germany. "Vision" has set me right - Joe Gamble played the whole game.

Monday, 13th May

Nearly 20,000 fans turn up to pay tribute to Phil Parkinson's ten years at the club and to watch an ex-England XI defeat Reading 5-3. For a match report, click here. Parky was able to score a goal from the penalty spot, whilst many great ex-Reading players appeared for Reading in the second half. Ricky Newman came on for the last five minutes in his first appearance since April 2001.

An eight-a-side match between some more former Reading greats, in a "Reading Legends" team, and a celebrity team took place before the main match and again at half-time. The official score seemed at odds with reality - click here for some details of that game.

After the match the Reading first team squad and Alan Pardew received their medals for coming second in Division 2 last season, and the commemorative shield was presented to captain Phil Parkinson.

The Republic of Ireland Under-20 side lost 2-1 to South Africa in the Toulon International Tournament this evening and are now certain to finish last in their five-team group even with one game left. At the moment, I don't know if Joe Gamble played in the game. (Later news added 14th May: Joe played for 63 minutes before being substituted when the scoreline was 1-1.)

Season ticket prices for next season have been announced. The standard rate for adults has increased from £260 to £345, although the rate for renewals has increased from £240 to £325. This suggests that single ticket match prices will increase by £4. (Later news: Single ticket prices have gone up by £5 but it will be possible to purchase them on-line for less than the standard advance price.) Season tickets go on sale from this Wednesday.

Sunday, 12th May

The final line-up for Division 1 next season is now known, as Norwich City lost on penalties to Birmingham City in the Division 1 play-off final and will therefore be one of our opponents. Of course, that assumes that there is no completely unjustified entry into the division from substandard Glasgow-based teams. If they want to join the English pyramid system, let them start in the North-West Counties league and then work up to their true level (probably the Northern Premier League).

Looking forward to next season, most of the teams we will meet are those we played against the last time we were in Division 1 or who have secured promotion from Division 2 in the last few years. The three exceptions are Sheffield Wednesday, Wimbledon and Coventry City, who we have not played against in the league for a long time. Also, we will be making trips to two new grounds - Derby County's Pride Park and Leicester City's Walkers Stadium.

Saturday, 11th May

After a rather longer absence than expected, 1871 is back.

Stoke City won the Division 2 play-off final today and so will be one of our opponents next season. After the disgraceful performance from Brentford fans after we had clinched promotion at Griffin Park in April, I am delighted that their reward is another season in Division 2 and the likely complete break-up of their team.

Thursday, 9th May (published on Saturday, 11th May)

Joe Gamble got into the Republic of Ireland starting line-up against Italy in the Toulon International Tournament, but his team lost 2-0 and so are almost certain not to progress to the third place play off or final. They have two group games left, to be played next week.

Graeme Murty has won the Player of the Year award, with John Mackie second and Nicky Forster third. The award will be presented before Phil Parkinson's testimonial match.

Wednesday, 8th May (published on Saturday, 11th May)

The Mayor of Reading hosted a lunchtime civic reception at the Town Hall in honour of Reading's promotion to Division 1. The Mayor, Nigel Howe, Alan Pardew and Phil Parkinson all said a few words, and the Mayor presented the players and officials with commemorative glasses. Being a well-known freeloader, 1871 was in attendance and secured exclusive interviews with several people. As far as I could tell, Jamie Cureton was the first person present to start on the buffet.

Unlike the Evening Post, I'm not going to attempt to gain a full backpage article from each different sentence uttered by a player! However, you might like to know that there were two reasons why Phil Whitehead wore a Chesterfield goalkeeper's shirt at Saltergate in March - his own shirt didn't make the journey but in any event the referee had decreed that the grey clashed with the Chesterfield home shirt of blue (no, I don't understand that either) so a change was needed. The Chesterfield club shop provided the one actually worn.

Tuesday, 7th May (published on Saturday, 11th May)

Joe Gamble gets a brief late appearance as a substitute in the Toulon International Tournament as the Republic of Ireland Under-20 side lose 2-0 to Japan.

Reading have announced two provisional games in Germany in July, against TSV 1863 Krumbach (who are effectively of non-league standard) and SSV Reutlingen, who finished mid-table in the German equivalent of Division 1 last season. Although the name I'm using for the first club has the words in a different order from everyone else, you will find that I am right!

Monday, 6th May (published on Saturday, 11th May)

Nathan Tyson was an unused substitute at the Division 3 play-off final as Cheltenham Town beat Rushden & Diamonds to gain promotion to Division 2.

Russell Lucas was in the squad for Wales Under-16s in the eight team Ballymena International Tournament which finished today. Wales finished last in their four-team group and then lost to Belgium today in the match for 7th and 8th place.

Thursday, 2nd May (published on Saturday, 11th May)

Mixed news for next season as Millwall's defeat in tonight's play-off semi-final means that we will play against them in Division 1. Whilst it is bad news that we have to put up with another visit from the animals that follow their club, I do however see it as a victory for football that (like Cardiff City yesterday) they have failed to gain promotion.

Wednesday, 1st May (published on Saturday, 11th May)

Wolverhampton Wanderers lose out to Norwich City in the Division 1 play-off semi-finals, meaning that we will be making another trip to Molineux next season. But the really good news from tonight's games is that Cardiff City have been knocked out of the Division 2 play-offs and so will not be able to terrorise Reading fans next season.

FOR NEWS FROM APRIL 2002, CLICK HERE

Home . News Index

First Team . Opposition . Reserves . Academy . Where Are They Now? . Columns . Kingsley . MadStad . Interactive . Links . Site Map