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[Batch]

Was reading considered a football hotbed a decade ago?

Its not exactly a hotbed now.

Timeline in old school divisions:

1990 Madjetski becomes chairman
1997-98 Reading relagated to division 3
1998-99 Mad Stad opens
2001-2002 Reading promoted to division 2
2005-2006 Reading make division 1 for first time

Show's Reg's point that it is sometimes difficult even if everything is right.

Swansea's rise was much more swift mind, not saying we can't have rapid progress with Jezza and the consortium.
 

[Ardiles]

Completely disagree with the premise that our crowds are poor.  For a club that has been outside of the top 2 divisions for the best part of 15 years now and that has not yet had its 'redevelopment boost', as many others have...our crowds are very respectable.  Last season we averaged over 8,000 in the bottom tier.  It's frankly absurd to suggest that that is anything other than very impressive.

Reg is right.  We need a redevelopment now to take us to the next level.  Probably 20 years or so overdue, to tell the truth.  But we're ripe for it now...especially given that the club's finances appear to be more stable and that we're starting to see some success on the pitch.  I suppose I'm starting to get a little twitchy that there has been so little detail so far coming from the club.  Have to hope that that comes soon.  An impressively redeveloped town centre stadium will give this club the biggest boost it's had in a generation.  Keep your fingers crossed.

[stfcinbmth]

Was reading considered a football hotbed a decade ago?

You tell me, you seem to be an expert on most matters

[Reg Smeeton]

Even easier for Reading locals to head into London for a game

So they have done brilliantly to establish themselves in the PL/Championship.

So where did the extra 15000 or so Reading fans come from - and why

The Reading catchment is massive, easily 500,000,  get some decent facilities and a decent team, and you'll and you can get the extra 10,000 easily.  Given out catchment of say 250,000, if we had the other 2 elements then crowds of 13-14,000 should be achieveable, about the same as we averaged in the Prem.

[Benzel]

I have absolute faith that it's coming, Ardiles.

[Ardiles]

So where did the extra 15000 or so Reading fans come from - and why

They were always there.  But it took a new ground and a winning team to capture their imagination.  Reading's hinterland is more densely populated than Swindon's, and probably wealthier as well.  But don't doubt that something similar could happen to STFC - if on a slightly smaller scale.  It could.

[Flashheart]

You tell me, you seem to be an expert on most matters

I was asking a question.

Who the fuck stole the jam out of your doughnut? 

[kerry red]

It does seem that a 'small' club benefits from a new/redeveloped stadium - Swansea, Reading even Watford to some extent - whereas when an established club gets a new stadium it fucks them up - Coventry, Derby etc.

It seems we are getting a redeveloped stadium a la Vicarage Road - which I think looks an impressive stadium.

Is it a case of 'build it and they will come'?

[Batch]

It does seem that a 'small' club benefits from a new/redeveloped stadium - Swansea, Reading even Watford to some extent -

Darlington? Colchester? Shrewsbury? Arsenal (hehe)

[stfcinbmth]

It does seem that a 'small' club benefits from a new/redeveloped stadium - Swansea, Reading even Watford to some extent - whereas when an established club gets a new stadium it fucks them up - Coventry, Derby etc.

It seems we are getting a redeveloped stadium a la Vicarage Road - which I think looks an impressive stadium.

Is it a case of 'build it and they will come'?

Thought they were looking for more finance before committing to any devolpment

[kerry red]

I never have understood the Darlo experiment

As regards Colchester, Shrews, Cobblers and Rotherham - the fact that they kept to a very small footprint spelled out their ambitions/intentions for the future - and fair play to them for that.

Is the Town End due for development during next close season or is it dependent on getting promoted

[Ardiles]

I think a lot of it is down to how you redevelop.  Reading, clearly, got theirs right.  They also managed to time it to coincide with other improvements elsewhere in the town...the Oracle and the dual carriageway down to J11 happening at more or less the same time.  Accessibility is key.  At a risk of upsetting one of our occasional posters, a number of other clubs - and notably Oxford - fucked their (re)development opportunities up.  In Oxford's case, their hands were tied and they basically tried to make the best of a bad job, so I have some (not much, but some) sympathy.  But the lesson is there to be learned.

I think we dodged a bullet when the Shaw Tip proposal came and went.  That would have been every bit as inaccessible as the Kassam.  Completely the wrong place.  We have the right site for our 'new' ground already.  I just want to see the designs now.

[Reg Smeeton]

It does seem that a 'small' club benefits from a new/redeveloped stadium - Swansea, Reading even Watford to some extent - whereas when an established club gets a new stadium it fucks them up - Coventry, Derby etc.

It seems we are getting a redeveloped stadium a la Vicarage Road - which I think looks an impressive stadium.

Is it a case of 'build it and they will come'?

Watford are interesting, insofar that up until recently they were the club who we'd played most often in the FL, they'd became a "progressive" club back in the late 70's when under Graham Taylor. I lived and worked in North London and Spurs was my nearest club....but I knew fellas with young lads who preferred going to Watford, because there was no trouble and a family atmosphere, it was this period which really got them moving forward.  Not something they could quite maintain, but tey've hung around...

[red sheldon]

Reg is right.  We need a redevelopment now to take us to the next level.  Probably 20 years or so overdue, to tell the truth.  But we're ripe for it now...especially given that the club's finances appear to be more stable and that we're starting to see some success on the pitch.  I suppose I'm starting to get a little twitchy that there has been so little detail so far coming from the club.  Have to hope that that comes soon.  An impressively redeveloped town centre stadium will give this club the biggest boost it's had in a generation.  Keep your fingers crossed.

I am starting to worry a bit about how quiet its gone on the plans front.  Its not that long if they want to start building the Town End in May, and the Town End is key to getting the capacity up, which we need, because we need to take advantage of the floating support for the big games to push average attendance up overall..

[Saxondale]

Wray talked about it on the radio on the other day.  Said its progressing well the council are just asking some very specific questions.  Its all happening really just seems they dont want to announce things without there being any concrete news.  Fair enough really.