LATEST NEWS ON 'The Royals'
MAY 2001
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  • 30th May 2001 - 8 Players Leave

    • Eight players have been told that their services are no longer required at the Madstad. Darren Caskey, Andy Gurney, Jim McIntyre, Alex Haddow, Scott Howie and Lee Hodges are all out of contract and will be available for free. Chris Smith will be signing a 2 year deal with York City and John Polston is retiring from playing.

    Meanwhile, Phil Parkinson has been offered a new 2 year contract - one year as a player and then as part of the coaching staff with an option to play. Manager alan Pardew was full of praise for the skipper and emphasised his desire for Parky to join the coaching team. The Royals boss said "For as long as I'm here, then Parky will be here too". It is fitting reward for a loyal and dedicated servant to the club, who is now set to complete 11 years as a Royals player.

  • 30th May 2001 - Friendly Fixtures

    • The full list of pre-season friendlies has been confirmed. The highlight will be a home match against Spurs on Wednesday 1st August - the Royals only friendly at the Madstad. Ticket details for the game have yet to be announced. The full list of friendlies is as follows:
    Date Opponents H/A 1st/Res Venue
    Sat 14th July Aldershot A 1st / Res Recreation Ground
    Sat 14th July Maidenhead Utd A 1st / Res York Road
    Thu 19th July Charlton Athletic - 1st (behind closed doors)
    Sat 21st July Weymouth A 1st Wessex Stadium
    Tue 24th July Tiverton Town A 1st Ladysmead Ground
    Tue 24th July Didcot Town A Res Loop Meadow Stadium
    Sat 28th July Dorchester Town A 1st Avenue Stadium
    Sat 28th July Kinstonian A Res Kinstonian
    Tue 31st July Oxford City A Res Court Place Farm
    Wed 1st August Tottenham Hotspur H 1st Madstad
    Sat 4th August Rushden & Diamonds A 1st Nene Park
    Sat 4th August Farnborough Town A Res Aimita Stadium
    Mon 6th August Swindon Supermarine A Res Supermarine


  • 29th May 2001 - Caskey's Future In Doubt

    • It should become clearer this week whether or not Darren Caskey will still be a Royals player next season. It is looking all the more likely that Dazza, who was left out of the Play-off Final, will be allowed to leave. Wolves, Pompey, Wimbledon, Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan and Bristol City are all rumoured to be interested in capturing the midfield ace.

  • 29th May 2001 - Gurney / Hodges To Leave

    • Defender Andy Gurney and midfielder Lee Hodges have both been told that their services are no longer required at the MadStad. Also leaving the Royals during the summer will be Chris Smith and Alex Haddow.

  • 29th May 2001 - Whitbread / Tyson Deals

    • Adrian Whitbread, who spent the last 3 months of the season on loan to the Royals from Portsmouth, has agreed a two-year contract effective from 1st July. Meanwhile, young striker Nathan Tyson has been offered a one-year extension to stay with the Royals.

  • 27th May 2001 - Heartache Again

    • Oh no, not again! The Royals were beaten 3-2 after extra time by Walsall in the play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. Having taken the lead twice in the game, joy turned to despair for the 35,000 Royals fans as a freak own goal put the brummies back into the game just when it seemed as if they were dead and buried. The result means yet more play-off heartache, and memories of 1995. We'll just have to make sure that we go up automatically next season and that we don't have to suffer the bloody play-offs again.

  • 24th May 2001 - Train Chaos For Fans

    • Hundreds of Royals fans face the possibility of being left stranded on Sunday due to a cock-up over the sale of rail tickets. Great First Western have sold more tickets than there are seats available, after sales continued over the internet and through travel agencies even after instructions were given not to sell tickets without a seat reservation. This could be a recipe for trouble if disgruntled fans are not allowed to board a train for Cardiff. It is a disgraceful and ridiculous situation of FGW's own making. They must accept full responsibility and ensure that ALL fans who have legitimately purchased a ticket are able to travel. If they means providing alternative method of transport (e.g. coaches), then so be it. But it is a totally unacceptable situation to expect to be able to simply turn people away if they do not have a seat reservation card.

    Over 30,000 Royals fans will be making the trip to Cardiff, compared to the paltry 13,000 tickets sold by Walsall.

  • 23rd May 2001 - Royals Head West

    • The Royals today headed for the land of sheep-shaggers to begin their preparations for Sunday's play-off final. They will be staying at a South Wales hotel and train on Friday & Saturday before heading to Cardiff on Saturday evening. Leaving 3 days before the final will allow the squad to escape all of the local attention and concentrate their minds for the job in hand.

  • 22nd May 2001 - Farnborough Friendly

    • Reading have announced a pre-season friendly away to Farnborough Town (one of 10 friendlies for the newly promoted Conference club). The game will kick-off at 3:00pm on Saturday 4th August. It is also rumoured that another friendly has been arranged away at Aldersh*t Town in July, but details have still to be confirmed.

  • 21st May 2001 - Cask & Murts On Mend

    • Both Darren Caskey and Graeme Murty are recovering from their injuries in time to be considered for the final. Caskey, who went off injured in the semi-final 2nd leg, has responded well to treatment and is hoping to make the starting line-up. Murty, knocked unconcious in a training ground accident in the build up to the play-offs, could also make the starting 11 after being given the all-clear by the club. Alan Pardew has admitted that the full backs could be key to his plans, leaving the way open for Murts to make his return.

  • 17th May 2001 - Final Tickets

    • Tickets for the Play-off Final against Walsall at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday 27th May go on sale to season ticket holders only on Friday (maximum of 6 tickets per person). They will be available to personal callers only and no tickets will be on sale by telephone or internet. Tickets will then be on general sale from Saturday (maximum of 9 tickets per person). The Royals have been given an allocation of 40,000 for the Final - almost twice that of Walsall.

  • 16th May 2001 - Fozzy Wins It For Royals

    • Fantastic! What a night as the Royals came back from a goal down with only 4 minutes remaining to amazingly win the game 2-1. It was Nicky Forster, an 81st minute substitute, who inspired the victory. Firstly, he weaved his way into the box and the Wigan keeper could only parry his cross into the path of Martin Butler who gratefully accepted the opportunity. Then, with just 5 SECONDS of normal time remaining, another twisting run into the box saw Fozzy brought down for a penalty. Jamie Cureton took the spot kick and, just to add to the drama, the Wigan keeper saved only for that man Forster to gleefully ram home the rebound. CARDIFF HERE WE COME!

  • 15th May 2001 - SOLD OUT

    • The Play-off 2nd Leg versus Wigan on Wednesday night is now SOLD OUT. All remaining tickets in the Upper West Stand have been sold and the additional 1800 tickets made available for the South Stand have all been snapped up. Wigan have only managed to sell approximately half of their allocation (no surprise there!) and so it won't quite be a full house. Nonetheless, it should still be a record attendance and a fantastic atmosphere. Don't forget to make sure you wear Blue & White and give the Royals your full vocal backing.

  • 14th May 2001 - Orange Army Praised

    • Wigan Athletic have formally thanked the travelling Orange Army for their excellent behaviour at the JJB Stadium last Sunday. Even when faced with provocation from a couple of hundred or so Wigan idiots at the end of the game, the Royals fans did not rise to the bait and were a credit to the club.

  • 14th May 2001 - Ticket Latest

    • The Upper West stand has now sold out. With Wigan not able to sell their full allocation, a further 1800 tickets were made available to Royals supporters in the South Stand. However, by mid afternoon only 1100 are still remaining. These are the only tickets left for what will be a new record attendance for the MadStad.

  • 13th May 2001 - Royals hold Latics 0-0

    • In a hard fought battle at the JJB Stadium, the Royals hung on for a gallant 0-0 draw to set up a thrilling second leg on Wednesday night. Whitehead, playing with an injury, was the goalkeeping hero for the Royals, whilst Andy Liddle was the Latics' villain - missing at least 4 golden opportunities. The massive contingent of Royals supporters were resplendent in their orange colours. Martin Allen is now calling for all supports to adorn the blue & white for the home leg.

  • 11th May 2001 - Whitbread Out

    • Reading's appeal against the Football League's refusal to extend Adrian Whitbread's loan deal has fallen on deaf ears. The decision rules Adie out of the play-offs and his place at the heart of the Royals' defence is likely to go to Barry Hunter. The good news, however, is that Whitbread has agread a deal to keep him at the Madstad next year (making the decision of the old farts at HQ even more ludicrous).

  • 11th May 2001 - Adam in Cup Final

    • This weekend, Royal's Academy star Adam Lockwood will be playing in the Cup Final - the FA Umbro Trophy Final at Villa Park that is. In the past few weeks, Adam has helped Forest Green Rovers to stave off relegation and he will be hoping for a winners medal as his reward.

  • 11th May 2001 - New Pitch

    • Under a joint agreement between RFC and London Irish Rugby Club, it has been confirmed that £350,000 is to be invested in a new pitch for next season. It will be similar to that installed at Watford and QPR, and is designed to ensure a high quality playing surface for both sports.

  • 11th May 2001 - Irish Joy

    • London Irish Rugby Club have agreed a deal that will keep them at Madejski Stadium for the next 7 years. The Irish are delighted with their first season in Reading, which saw their best home attendances in the club's 102 year history.

  • 10th May 2001 - Orange Sea

    • Alan Pardew and Martin Allen have appealed to all Royals fans travelling to Wigan on Sunday to make 'a sea of orange'. The Royals will be wearing their orange second strip for the game and the boss would like all supporters to wear orange for the day and so create an atmosphere similar to that when Holland play their international matches. If you don't have the official 2nd strip, wear anything orange. It would make a spectacular sight if as many Royals fans as possible made the effort to adorn themselves in such a colourful manner.

  • 10th May 2001 - Play-Off Tickets
    • As of early Thursday, Royals had sold more than 3000 tickets for the first leg of the play-offs at the JJB Stadium on Sunday - and they only went on general sale this morning. With a massive total allocation of 7000 tickets for Royals fans, there are plenty still available but they are selling fast. It would be fantastic if we could take up our full allocation and create a great atmosphere - especially if adorned in orange.

    For the home leg on Wednesday 16th, only around 4000 tickets remain available. The East Stand is almost sold out with only single seats still remaining, and there are only 350 or so left in the Lower West Stand. There are 1400 still available in the North Stand and 2200 in Upper West. If you haven't got your ticket yet, then you had better hurry.

  • 10th May 2001 - Whitbread Appeal

    • The Royals have appealed to Football League chiefs against their decision to refuse an extension to Adrian Whitbread's loan deal. The original 3 month loan deal officially ended last week. Initial indications from the league offices were promising, but when the formal decision finally arrived it was not the news Royals had been hoping for, throwing Alan Pardews preparations for this Sunday's play-off 1st leg into dissaray. The club are hoping for a quick reply to their appeal but do not know when they may expect an outcome. If the appeal is turned down, then it is likely that Barry Hunter will take Whitbread's place in the heart of defence.