Reading

[SithHappens]

While I feel sorry for the fans and think they have the right to have their voice heard, surely having to have a match abandoned due to a pitch invasion has to have serious consequences for the club.

A points deduction and/or awarding the game to Port Vale has to be on the cards.

It might seem harsh punishing fans already being punished by a awful owner but you can't have this sort of thing happening and no action taken.

[Ramshank72]

Why should the opposition suffer? I agree, give the points to Vale and deduct from Reading.

[Geoff Parkstone]

And award the Bolton game to Cheltenham as it's not their fault the game was abandoned. Not that I'm impartial or anything...

[ramAnag]

I think our own fans’ march from two (?) years ago, Oldham fans throwing tennis balls onto the pitch and even MUFC fans resorting to the green and yellow of Newton Heath are all examples of more dignified and effective protest against unwanted and ineffective ownership.

If Reading suffer a further points deduction, which could well be crucial, then this demonstration will have been completely counterproductive as well as hugely inconveniencing Vale fans, all so about a few hundred ‘supporters’ could have their little ‘adventure’.

[Ramshank72]

Reading (see what I did there, genius) their posts on Twitter, they're not happy with the way the club's being run, relegations, dropping to League One for 1st time in 20 years, players not being paid on time, 5 year transfer embargo, asset stripping, team not being fed or travelled comfortably (no hotels for away matches, microwave meals before games) etc. Further disruptions are planned, hopefully not to our disadvantage next week.
Personally, I think that they've been riding the wave of playing above their means, and that this kind of thing was inevitable unless they had an owner willing to lose a fortune, and I don't see Reading being particularly attractive as a play thing.
League Two might just be their level.

[SithHappens]

For me if they don't give them at least a suspended points deduction it welcomes fans everywhere to run on the pitch and get a match postponed.

If they do it again when we play and we are in the lead at the time what happens then? Plus are reading going to pay for everyone's travel arrangements.

Sometimes postponements are unavoidable but this one wasn't.

If I was the efl I'd fine them, give a suspended points deduction but with a warning if it happens again the game is awarded to the opposition, points deduction and no fans for rest of season

[swaledale]

I'd agree that there should be a ban of homes fans for 3 games? Its difficult isn't it for fans, how do they draw attention to the issue that makes a noise? Perhaps the most useful thing would be to boycott home games?

It does make the EFL look rather weak and unable to exercise control on who takes ownership of these clubs, the "fit and proper" person test seems useless, the Reading owner has had similar issues at other clubs abroad he has either owns or may still own, so its not as if the evidence of what was likely to happen. But then if one looks at "our" Mel, there was nothing to suggest he might bring the club to its knees.

At the root of all this of course is fans (inc some on this Forum) who demand money is spent on players to get their club success!!

[SithHappens]

Reading fans though were probably loving it when he broke their transfer record multiple times

[ramAnag]

I'd agree that there should be a ban of homes fans for 3 games? Its difficult isn't it for fans, how do they draw attention to the issue that makes a noise? Perhaps the most useful thing would be to boycott home games?

It does make the EFL look rather weak and unable to exercise control on who takes ownership of these clubs, the "fit and proper" person test seems useless, the Reading owner has had similar issues at other clubs abroad he has either owns or may still own, so its not as if the evidence of what was likely to happen. But then if one looks at "our" Mel, there was nothing to suggest he might bring the club to its knees.

At the root of all this of course is fans (inc some on this Forum) who demand money is spent on players to get their club success!!

Not sure who, on this forum, is ‘demanding money is spent on players to get their club success’...however it seems a tad harsh to blame fans as the ‘route of all this’.
Probably fair to criticise those who caused the abandonment last Saturday, but those fans at Reading will have contributed in excess of £5m to Reading FC by the end of the season. Likewise at Derby regular fans are likely to have paid around £12.5m by the end of the season...is it unreasonable that such commitment should lead to reasonable levels of expectation?

N.B. Figures approximate and based on League One gate receipts alone.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Yes it is very unreasonable. Supporters go to matches to be entertained, and with no guarantee of good entertainment at that. There is no guarantee of success for their team either. You've paid to get in and watch, no more.

You pays your money and you takes your chance. If you go to watch a film and don't like it, would you go and boycott the cinema and stop others watching it? Especially those who may have travelled 100 miles to get there,?