r00fie1
Well-known member
Its that time again....
A warm welcome to everyone.
No one can deny its been an exciting week: new players arriving, a renewed air of expectation and excitement.
We`ve had Man Utd players telling us we stand no chance of beating them in our FA Cup tie - but they were very fortunate to scrape past a superior Villa side, earlier in the week. Perhaps its that arrogance which has reflected in their results since Sir Alex left as Manager?!
Neil Warnock chipped in he wouldnt swop Boro`s defence for theirs (!) - neither would we. Thanks Neil.
Lots to talk about: reflecting on Thames Valley Royals and Manchester United`s biggest Premier Defeats......as well as all the usual stuff + a lot more besides.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Weekend`s Championship Fixtures:
Championship League Table [Friday 14th January 2022]
The Boro v Reading Record:
Boro V Reading - Current Form:
Match Stat Preview:
These are exciting times for Middlesbrough, who have signed a host of new players and set up an exciting away tie vs Manchester United in the FA Cup after a young starting XI won in the cup last weekend in the wake of the club’s Covid-19 crisis. A well-rested side should now take to the field here as Chris Wilder’s promotion hopefuls look to extend their unbeaten run to eight games (W6, D1).
Striking first has been key to Middlesbrough’s success during their current unbeaten run, as they’ve scored first in each of their last five league wins, during a run that’s seen them rise from mid-table into playoff contention. However should they fall behind, ‘Boro’ may well struggle - they are one of just three sides yet to win when trailing in league games this term (D2, L8).
In stark contrast to Boro’s Wilder, the pressure is mounting on Reading boss Veljko Paunović after his side flopped to a shameful 7-0 defeat in their last league game. That result left Reading in a precarious position, as they are now within touching distance of the drop zone, with 22nd-placed Peterborough sitting just three points behind them but with a game in hand.
Whatever happens, there’s likely to be a winner here as Reading are one of just two Championship sides yet to draw an away league game this season (W4, L7). Having also lost to non-league Kidderminster in their last away game, surely the only way is up for Reading who seek their first win on Teesside after five failed attempts (D1, L4).
Players to watch: Boro new boy Caolan Boyd-Munce had a dream debut in the FA Cup, netting his first goal in senior men's football in the 14th minute after signing just one day prior. For Reading, young goalkeeper Luke Southwood must now show a degree of mental fortitude after facing 63 shots and conceding ten goals across his last three appearances.
Hot stat: Middlesbrough are the only side across England’s top-three tiers yet to concede a league goal in the opening 15 minutes.
[Source: https://www.flashscore.co.uk/match/KrEdJzYp/#match-summary]
5-6 minutes
Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Middlesbrough and Reading, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Middlesbrough return to Championship action on Saturday afternoon looking for the victory which will keep the pressure on the teams in the playoff places.
Meanwhile, Reading visit the Riverside Stadium on the back of a 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Fulham, leaving the Royals very much at risk of dropping into the relegation zone.
© Reuters
Middlesbrough have been one of the form teams in England since the arrival of Chris Wilder with six wins and two draws coming from his nine games in charge.
Boro were able to take a break from league matters last weekend with a FA Cup tie at Mansfield, and a much-changed side came through by a 3-2 scoreline.
While Wilder was quick to praise the efforts of the League Two outfit, he will have quietly been impressed by the character of his players with many of them having a point to prove ahead of a return to the Championship schedule.
More players continue to arrive at the club, too, with Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun potentially being followed by Riley McGree, who has previously impressed for Birmingham City this season.
Providing that Boro's backline stays fit, they have every chance of remaining in contention for promotion, but they head into this game still outside of the top six despite their six-game unbeaten run.
© Reuters
At a time when Boro are very much on an upward trajectory, the same cannot be said of their opponents who continue to face an uphill task to remain in the division.
Since holding a 2-0 advantage against rivals Derby County on January 3, everything has gone wrong for the Royals, who have followed a draw in that game with defeats versus Kidderminster Harriers and Fulham.
The loss at National League North side Kidderminster in the FA Cup particularly hurt given the distance between the clubs in the English football pyramid, and it had ramifications for their efforts three days later.
At one stage, Reading shipped four goals in 15 second-half minutes, and their supporters have every reason to call for a change in the dugout.
That said, Veljko Paunovic cannot be solely blamed for Reading's issues this season and as the Serbian keeps calling for, a collective effort both on and off the pitch is the only combination which will keep the club outside of the relegation zone.
Middlesbrough Championship form:
© Reuters
Wilder is expected to call upon much of the team which started the 2-1 victory at Blackpool on December 29.
However, Duncan Watmore is pushing for a recall over Onel Hernandez after scoring at Bloomfield Road, while Jonny Howson will hope to come back into the centre of midfield.
New signings Aaron Connolly and Balogun are likely to be named on the substitutes' bench at best.
With Scott Dann suffering a calf injury, Paunovic must decide how to reshuffle his team with his decisions not paying off against Fulham.
Youngster Michael Stickland could be handed his first Championship start as a direct replacement, a move which will help prevent Andy Rinomhota being given too many minutes after his comeback from injury.
George Puscas is an alternative in the final third, but Paunovic may feel that he cannot make many changes to his team.
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Lumley' Bamba, Dijksteel, Fry; Jones, Crooks, McNair, Tavernier, Peltier; Watmore, Sporar
Reading possible starting lineup:
Southwood; Tetek, Holmes, Stickland, Bristow; Drinkwater, Laurent; Hoilett, Swift, Dele-Bashiru; Carroll
Robert Maxwell
5-6 minutes
With Ghislaine Maxwell in the news after she was found guilty of five counts of sex trafficking, here we take a look back at the British socialite's association with football.
While Ghislaine was a director at Oxford United her father, as chairman, once hatched a bizarre plan to merge Reading FC with Oxford United - a wildly unpopular ploy that crashed and burned under intense supporter protest and widespread disdain for the idea.
With Oxford United facing the threat of bankruptcy in 1982, media mogul Robert Maxwell saved the club but his long-term intentions were far more sinister.
Ghislaine Maxwell pictured at an Oxford United match.
On April 16, 1983, Maxwell announced to the BBC that he was close to acquiring a controlling interest in Reading FC with a view to merging the two rival clubs into one, to be known as Thames Valley Royals.
The Thames Valley Royals would play their home matches at a new stadium somewhere in between Oxford and Reading, alternating between Elm Park and Manor Ground until the new ground could be completed.
Understandably there was concern from both sets of players and coaches. Oxford manager Jim Smith feared for his job while the Reading players, having spent the season languishing near the bottom of the table compared to Oxford’s promotion charge, were uncertain where there futures would lie.
Media mogul Robert Maxwell. Image by: PA
From a business standpoint there was perhaps a certain level of credence to the idea. Both clubs had suffered from financial challenges with Reading facing a murky future regardless of Maxwell’s involvement.
But from a football perspective, a human perspective, and a community perspective it was the worst possible news. Two proud clubs with a backbone of decades of history and strong fanbases ripped apart by one man’s idea.
With support from the football league, Oxford United’s board of directors, and the Oxford city council, the plan was in motion with the two clubs set to finish their respective seasons before uniting to form the Thames Valley Royals in time for the 1983/84 campaign.
But perhaps Maxwell didn’t quite take into consideration the power and weight of the two club’s supporters. Both sets of fans reacted with revulsion to the idea and quickly sprang into action.
2,000 Oxford supporters flooded the pitch ahead of their April 23rd clash with Wigan Athletic, delaying kick-off by more than half an hour. Maxwell responded by calling the protest a “bloody disgrace” adding that “nothing short of the end of the Earth will prevent this from going through."
One week later, Reading supporters marched from the town centre to Elm Park in a show of protest of their own. Ironically, Maxwell’s proposal had united the two rival clubs - just not in the way he had envisaged.
Now at the SCL, Reading FC would cease to exist had Maxwell gotten his way. Image by: JasonPIX
In the background, a rival takeover bid of Reading offered a potential light at the end of the dark tunnel that was quickly approaching. Roger Smee, born and bred in Reading before making more than 50 appearances for the club and going on to earn millions in construction and property businesses, opposed the merger and had the resources to do something about it.
Together with Roy Tranter, a Royals director who also opposed the merger, they fought back against Maxwell’s bid by filing a complaint with the High Court in order to block the sale of the club. An injunction was granted and despite Maxwell’s confident air, the wheels to his plot were starting to fall off in the face of Smee’s rival bid.
On the pitch - an arena that was nearly forgotten amidst the drama in the boardroom - Reading were relegated on the final day of the season despite beating Wrexham 1-0. Of course, none of that would matter if Maxwell got his way.
And that brings us to June 21st, 1983, a seminal and defining day in the history of Reading Football Club. During an extraordinary shareholders meeting, Smee narrowly defeated Maxwell winning 19,462 votes to the latter’s 16,420.
A new era had arrived. And it was to be a prosperous one. Under the chairmanship of Smee, Reading earned promotion from the Fourth Division in 1984, before going one further to reach the Second Division in 1986.
While more drama would arrive in the coming years, Smee’s stewardship helped lay the groundwork for the epic success Reading would find under John Madejski in the 1990s and 200s. Most importantly though, Reading stayed in Reading.
Speaking to the Reading Chronicle, Supporters Trust at Reading’s Roger Titford highlighted the failed merger as the most important moment in the club’s history.
“In my view, the events of 1983 were the single most significant turning point in the history of the club,” Titford explained.
“Reading became a different club overnight: new manager, new chairman, new board, new colours, new players and a new attitude to commerce.
“Roger Smee blew away 30 years of cobwebs.”
A warm welcome to everyone.
No one can deny its been an exciting week: new players arriving, a renewed air of expectation and excitement.
We`ve had Man Utd players telling us we stand no chance of beating them in our FA Cup tie - but they were very fortunate to scrape past a superior Villa side, earlier in the week. Perhaps its that arrogance which has reflected in their results since Sir Alex left as Manager?!
Neil Warnock chipped in he wouldnt swop Boro`s defence for theirs (!) - neither would we. Thanks Neil.
Lots to talk about: reflecting on Thames Valley Royals and Manchester United`s biggest Premier Defeats......as well as all the usual stuff + a lot more besides.
Trying to present the articles in a simpler format, so the thread is more easily readable on mobile and tablet. Lets hope it works....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Weekend`s Championship Fixtures:
Championship League Table [Friday 14th January 2022]
The Boro v Reading Record:
Boro V Reading - Current Form:
Match Stat Preview:
These are exciting times for Middlesbrough, who have signed a host of new players and set up an exciting away tie vs Manchester United in the FA Cup after a young starting XI won in the cup last weekend in the wake of the club’s Covid-19 crisis. A well-rested side should now take to the field here as Chris Wilder’s promotion hopefuls look to extend their unbeaten run to eight games (W6, D1).
Striking first has been key to Middlesbrough’s success during their current unbeaten run, as they’ve scored first in each of their last five league wins, during a run that’s seen them rise from mid-table into playoff contention. However should they fall behind, ‘Boro’ may well struggle - they are one of just three sides yet to win when trailing in league games this term (D2, L8).
In stark contrast to Boro’s Wilder, the pressure is mounting on Reading boss Veljko Paunović after his side flopped to a shameful 7-0 defeat in their last league game. That result left Reading in a precarious position, as they are now within touching distance of the drop zone, with 22nd-placed Peterborough sitting just three points behind them but with a game in hand.
Whatever happens, there’s likely to be a winner here as Reading are one of just two Championship sides yet to draw an away league game this season (W4, L7). Having also lost to non-league Kidderminster in their last away game, surely the only way is up for Reading who seek their first win on Teesside after five failed attempts (D1, L4).
Players to watch: Boro new boy Caolan Boyd-Munce had a dream debut in the FA Cup, netting his first goal in senior men's football in the 14th minute after signing just one day prior. For Reading, young goalkeeper Luke Southwood must now show a degree of mental fortitude after facing 63 shots and conceding ten goals across his last three appearances.
Hot stat: Middlesbrough are the only side across England’s top-three tiers yet to concede a league goal in the opening 15 minutes.
[Source: https://www.flashscore.co.uk/match/KrEdJzYp/#match-summary]
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MATCH PREVIEW
[https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/footba...ding-prediction-team-news-lineups_475131.html]
[https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/footba...ding-prediction-team-news-lineups_475131.html]
Preview: Middlesbrough vs. Reading - prediction, team news
By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 22h5-6 minutes
Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Middlesbrough and Reading, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Middlesbrough return to Championship action on Saturday afternoon looking for the victory which will keep the pressure on the teams in the playoff places.
Meanwhile, Reading visit the Riverside Stadium on the back of a 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Fulham, leaving the Royals very much at risk of dropping into the relegation zone.
Match preview
Middlesbrough have been one of the form teams in England since the arrival of Chris Wilder with six wins and two draws coming from his nine games in charge.
Boro were able to take a break from league matters last weekend with a FA Cup tie at Mansfield, and a much-changed side came through by a 3-2 scoreline.
While Wilder was quick to praise the efforts of the League Two outfit, he will have quietly been impressed by the character of his players with many of them having a point to prove ahead of a return to the Championship schedule.
More players continue to arrive at the club, too, with Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun potentially being followed by Riley McGree, who has previously impressed for Birmingham City this season.
Providing that Boro's backline stays fit, they have every chance of remaining in contention for promotion, but they head into this game still outside of the top six despite their six-game unbeaten run.
At a time when Boro are very much on an upward trajectory, the same cannot be said of their opponents who continue to face an uphill task to remain in the division.
Since holding a 2-0 advantage against rivals Derby County on January 3, everything has gone wrong for the Royals, who have followed a draw in that game with defeats versus Kidderminster Harriers and Fulham.
The loss at National League North side Kidderminster in the FA Cup particularly hurt given the distance between the clubs in the English football pyramid, and it had ramifications for their efforts three days later.
At one stage, Reading shipped four goals in 15 second-half minutes, and their supporters have every reason to call for a change in the dugout.
That said, Veljko Paunovic cannot be solely blamed for Reading's issues this season and as the Serbian keeps calling for, a collective effort both on and off the pitch is the only combination which will keep the club outside of the relegation zone.
Middlesbrough Championship form:
- W
- W
- D
- W
- W
- W
- W
- D
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- W
- D
- L
- D
- L
- W
- D
- L
- D
- L
- L
Team News
Wilder is expected to call upon much of the team which started the 2-1 victory at Blackpool on December 29.
However, Duncan Watmore is pushing for a recall over Onel Hernandez after scoring at Bloomfield Road, while Jonny Howson will hope to come back into the centre of midfield.
New signings Aaron Connolly and Balogun are likely to be named on the substitutes' bench at best.
With Scott Dann suffering a calf injury, Paunovic must decide how to reshuffle his team with his decisions not paying off against Fulham.
Youngster Michael Stickland could be handed his first Championship start as a direct replacement, a move which will help prevent Andy Rinomhota being given too many minutes after his comeback from injury.
George Puscas is an alternative in the final third, but Paunovic may feel that he cannot make many changes to his team.
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Lumley' Bamba, Dijksteel, Fry; Jones, Crooks, McNair, Tavernier, Peltier; Watmore, Sporar
Reading possible starting lineup:
Southwood; Tetek, Holmes, Stickland, Bristow; Drinkwater, Laurent; Hoilett, Swift, Dele-Bashiru; Carroll
We say: Middlesbrough 3-0 Reading
On the back of the last two matches, the last thing that Reading would have wanted was a long trip up North to face the in-form team in the division. While Reading can play without expectations, Boro should have more than enough to cruise to victory at the Riverside Stadium.---------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Maxwell
https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/...-royals-disastrous-idea-nearly-came-fruition/
[edited]"Thames Valley Royals"
When Ghislaine Maxwell's dad tried to merge Reading FC with Oxford United.
Benjy Nurick5-6 minutes
With Ghislaine Maxwell in the news after she was found guilty of five counts of sex trafficking, here we take a look back at the British socialite's association with football.
While Ghislaine was a director at Oxford United her father, as chairman, once hatched a bizarre plan to merge Reading FC with Oxford United - a wildly unpopular ploy that crashed and burned under intense supporter protest and widespread disdain for the idea.
With Oxford United facing the threat of bankruptcy in 1982, media mogul Robert Maxwell saved the club but his long-term intentions were far more sinister.
On April 16, 1983, Maxwell announced to the BBC that he was close to acquiring a controlling interest in Reading FC with a view to merging the two rival clubs into one, to be known as Thames Valley Royals.
The Thames Valley Royals would play their home matches at a new stadium somewhere in between Oxford and Reading, alternating between Elm Park and Manor Ground until the new ground could be completed.
Understandably there was concern from both sets of players and coaches. Oxford manager Jim Smith feared for his job while the Reading players, having spent the season languishing near the bottom of the table compared to Oxford’s promotion charge, were uncertain where there futures would lie.
From a business standpoint there was perhaps a certain level of credence to the idea. Both clubs had suffered from financial challenges with Reading facing a murky future regardless of Maxwell’s involvement.
But from a football perspective, a human perspective, and a community perspective it was the worst possible news. Two proud clubs with a backbone of decades of history and strong fanbases ripped apart by one man’s idea.
With support from the football league, Oxford United’s board of directors, and the Oxford city council, the plan was in motion with the two clubs set to finish their respective seasons before uniting to form the Thames Valley Royals in time for the 1983/84 campaign.
But perhaps Maxwell didn’t quite take into consideration the power and weight of the two club’s supporters. Both sets of fans reacted with revulsion to the idea and quickly sprang into action.
2,000 Oxford supporters flooded the pitch ahead of their April 23rd clash with Wigan Athletic, delaying kick-off by more than half an hour. Maxwell responded by calling the protest a “bloody disgrace” adding that “nothing short of the end of the Earth will prevent this from going through."
One week later, Reading supporters marched from the town centre to Elm Park in a show of protest of their own. Ironically, Maxwell’s proposal had united the two rival clubs - just not in the way he had envisaged.
Now at the SCL, Reading FC would cease to exist had Maxwell gotten his way. Image by: JasonPIX
In the background, a rival takeover bid of Reading offered a potential light at the end of the dark tunnel that was quickly approaching. Roger Smee, born and bred in Reading before making more than 50 appearances for the club and going on to earn millions in construction and property businesses, opposed the merger and had the resources to do something about it.
Together with Roy Tranter, a Royals director who also opposed the merger, they fought back against Maxwell’s bid by filing a complaint with the High Court in order to block the sale of the club. An injunction was granted and despite Maxwell’s confident air, the wheels to his plot were starting to fall off in the face of Smee’s rival bid.
On the pitch - an arena that was nearly forgotten amidst the drama in the boardroom - Reading were relegated on the final day of the season despite beating Wrexham 1-0. Of course, none of that would matter if Maxwell got his way.
And that brings us to June 21st, 1983, a seminal and defining day in the history of Reading Football Club. During an extraordinary shareholders meeting, Smee narrowly defeated Maxwell winning 19,462 votes to the latter’s 16,420.
A new era had arrived. And it was to be a prosperous one. Under the chairmanship of Smee, Reading earned promotion from the Fourth Division in 1984, before going one further to reach the Second Division in 1986.
While more drama would arrive in the coming years, Smee’s stewardship helped lay the groundwork for the epic success Reading would find under John Madejski in the 1990s and 200s. Most importantly though, Reading stayed in Reading.
Speaking to the Reading Chronicle, Supporters Trust at Reading’s Roger Titford highlighted the failed merger as the most important moment in the club’s history.
“In my view, the events of 1983 were the single most significant turning point in the history of the club,” Titford explained.
“Reading became a different club overnight: new manager, new chairman, new board, new colours, new players and a new attitude to commerce.
“Roger Smee blew away 30 years of cobwebs.”
------------------------------------
Maxwell`s tenure was fraught with controversy, with fans turning against the idea of merger.
His swash-buckling style wasnt very much liked.
His penchant for turning up with bags of money at other clubs - with the intent of buying one of their players - is well documented.
For the clubs of Reading and Oxford - they survived. Much to the joy of their fans.
Maxwell "disappeared" in 1991 and was later found dead in the Atlantic Ocean.
His swash-buckling style wasnt very much liked.
His penchant for turning up with bags of money at other clubs - with the intent of buying one of their players - is well documented.
For the clubs of Reading and Oxford - they survived. Much to the joy of their fans.
Maxwell "disappeared" in 1991 and was later found dead in the Atlantic Ocean.