LATEST NEWS ON 'The Royals'
March 2005
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  • 23rd March 2005 - Fozzy Stays - Goater Out

    • Royals striker Nicky Forster will remain at Reading - for the time being at least. The out of favour forward, who made a late call-up to the side at Brighton on Monday, will now stay at the Madejski Stadium for the rest of the season and has even been assured of at least a new one year offer. This is quite a remarkable turnaround by Coppell, who had been looking to offload the fans' favourite.

    Meanwhile, Shaun Goater, who the Royals refuse to play because it would cost them a further payment of £50,000 to Man City, has gone on loan to Coventry City for the remainder of the season.

  • 22nd March 2005 - Eurovision Draw

    • Following the late withdrawal of Lebanon, 39 Countries will participate in this years Eurovision Song Contest on its 50th anniversary. With all entries now decided, the draw for the running order has now been made for both the semi-final and the Final. Javine, representing the UK, has been drawn 2nd in the order of performances for the Final. For full details of all entrants and the complete draw, click here to visit the Eurovision section of the site.

  • 21st March 2005 - Ugly, but 3 points

    • Out-of-favour front-man Nicky Forster earned the gratitude of manager Steve Coppell by firing promotion-chasing Reading back into the top six with a 1-0 win at Brighton.

    There might have been nothing too convincing about Forster's close-range finish, but it proved enough to beat sorry Brighton at the Withdean Stadium and saw the Royals leapfrog Sheffield United and land firmly in the play-off picture once again.

    After almost three months in the doldrums, Reading boss Steve Coppell may argue his team are finding form at just the right time.

    He will also know they will have to perform much better over the remaining seven games if Reading owner John Madejski is to fulfil his dream of seeing the Berkshire outfit play in the Premiership.

    For Brighton boss Mark McGhee, it was another bad night.

    At least the Seagulls kept the score down after conceding 11 goals in their last three games, but it is difficult to see where their next win is coming from.

    And there must also be a major doubt over Mark McCammon's ability to see out the season after the striker dramatically collapsed, complaining of dizziness, as the interval whistle blew.

    To say the opening period was a disappointment would have been an understatement in the extreme.

    As former managers of the opposition, rival bosses Mark McGhee and Steve Coppell had extra incentive for victory, but neither appeared able to instil the self-belief required to overcome confidence-sapping recent form.

    Brighton were making an unsuccessful attempt to avoid a fourth successive defeat, a run that has sucked them perilously close to the relegation zone, and a swift return from whence they came 12 months ago.

    Reading, meanwhile, had previously managed just a single league win since Boxing Day.

    That they should still find themselves with a chance of promotion is extraordinary, let alone that they should be in the play-off zone, but such is the inconsistency among the sides battling for sixth spot, that is exactly where they are.

    Reading did have an early penalty shout turned down when 16-goal striker Dave Kitson crashed to the ground as he attempted to round Rami Shaaban.

    Referee Kevin Friend waved away the appeal to only muted argument but TV replays indicated the Brighton goalkeeper had only made contact with Kitson and the spot-kick should have been awarded.

    Without actually having a shot to save, Shaaban was the busier of the two `keepers as he was forced to deal with Reading's aerial bombardment.

    Given the general lack of inventiveness, it was no surprise the best chance of the half came as a result of a blunder.

    Normally the most solid of goalkeepers, Marcus Hahnemann completely mis-hit an intended punt downfield, presenting McCammon with a clear sight of goal on the edge of the area.

    But the striker's finish lacked power and he merely rolled his shot straight back to a grateful Hahnemann, who collected with ease.

    It proved to be the unfortunate forward's last meaningful contribution to a game which thankfully got better after the re-start.

    Guy Butters should have put the hosts in front but sent a tame header straight at Hahnemann.

    At the other end, Shaaban got away with blasting a clearance straight at Sidwell and escaped a second time when he met Andy Hughes' long-range drive with an unconvincing punch.

    His luck ran out soon afterwards though as Forster, barely five minutes after leaving the bench, got on the end of Little's deep cross and bundled the ball home with his chest after Shaaban had stopped his initial weak header.

    Reading largely managed to keep the hosts at arms length after that, although they were indebted to Hahnemann, who produced a superb flying save to deny Adam Virgo late on.


  • 20th March 2005 - Brighton Preview

    • Chris McPhee is pushing for a place in the Brighton starting XI for the match against Reading.

    The 21-year-old striker has missed Albion's last two matches, but hit a hat-trick for the reserves in midweek.

    McPhee could replace either Adam Virgo or Mark McCammon up front if manager Mark McGhee opts for a change.

    Reading manager Steve Coppell will select from an unchanged squad for the trip.

    Les Ferdinand (hamstring) is a doubt but is hoping to feature after two games out of action.

    The only other injury worry is out-of-favour striker Nicky Forster, who should be fit despite carrying a slight knee injury.

    The Royals will look to get their faltering play-off challenge back on track after just one win in their last 13 league games, and will be desperate for the three points as they look to bounce back from their shock 1-0 defeat at Rotherham.

    Coach Kevin Dillon admits: "It's a game we have to win."

  • 15th March 2005 - Pathetic

    • The Reading management and players may talk a good game, with all the pre-match hype of how the must make sure they do not waste all the good work of the victory over West Ham. Well, I'm afraid they have shown themselves to be nothing more than 'Big Time Charlies'. A miserable Tuesday evening in Rotherham saw the Royals slump to a 1:0 defeat against the team propping up the rest of the division. It was only the Millers 2nd home win of the season. Quite simply pathetic.


  • 14th March 2005 - Millers Preview

    • Rotherham's Michael Keane could make his first start for the club after his impressive substitute appearance in the 2-1 defeat at Burnley on Saturday. Ex-Reading striker Martin Butler is doubtful because of illness, while central defender Chris Swailes (hip) is also unlikely to play any part.

    Royals boss Steve Coppell is likely to name an unchanged starting team. Les Ferdinand is the only player sidelined by injury, whilst Bobby Convey has been allowed to return to the States for the USA's three forthcoming fixtures.

  • 12th March 2005 - Victory At Last



    • Under-pressure West Ham boss Alan Pardew endured another uncomfortable afternoon on his return to Reading as Dave Kitson's hat-trick destroyed a woeful Hammers team 3-1.

    Kitson, who scored twice in the corresponding fixture last season, took his tally for this term to 16 as Pardew found himself being barracked by both sets of fans by the end of another insipid showing from his side.

    It is 18 months since Pardew's acrimonious split from the Royals to take over at West Ham, but in that time he has clearly yet to take his team through the basics of defending set-pieces. Kitson was left unmarked twice in the opening half-hour, and twice he made the Hammers pay with fine headers past helpless goalkeeper Stephen Bywater before completing his treble after the break.

    Teddy Sheringham bagged a late consolation, but could not stop West Ham crashing to a third successive defeat and drifting further away from the promotion picture.

    Reading created the first goalscoring opportunity when West Ham's makeshift back four - including debutant Shaun Newton at right-back - failed to deal with Glen Little's corner. The ball came out to Ricky Newman, who had time to tee up a volley which Bywater managed to push on to a post.

    The hosts went ahead in the 12th minute after Dean Morgan tumbled under the challenge of Malky Mackay. Nicky Shorey floated in the free-kick and Kitson rose unchallenged to plant a superb downward header past Bywater.

    Buoyed by the goal and a vociferous home support, Reading began attacking at will, with Dean Morgan, Little and Kitson causing the creaking Hammers' rearguard all sorts of problems. One jinking Kitson run was only stopped by Chris Powell's last-ditch tackle, before Morgan dragged a shot wide from a good position.

    Kitson felt he was denied a penalty when Bywater stopped him in his tracks in the area, but from the ensuing corner he doubled his tally for the afternoon. Andy Hughes flicked on Shorey's cross and Kitson thumped another header home with the West Ham marking again conspicuous by its' absence.

    Little began to run at the Hammers' defence again immediately after the break, and his clever reverse pass left Steve Sidwell one-on-one with Bywater, but the midfielder blasted his shot wastefully over the bar. But Reading did not have to wait long for their third, and, after Morgan forced a smart save from Bywater, Kitson was on hand to snaffle the rebound at the second attempt. The former Cambridge striker almost grabbed a fourth when, unsurprisingly, he lost his marker from another Little corner, but this time Bywater was able to hold the ball on the line.

    Sheringham neatly tucked home the consolation from a rare West Ham attack, but Reading comfortably held out to record their first win since Boxing Day while heaping more pressure on their former manager's shoulders.


  • 6th March 2005 - Eurovision Latest

    • Now that Javine has been chosen to represent the UK at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest, you can catch up with all the latest news by visiting the Eurovision section of this web site. Do you know who will be representing Latvia in the qualifying round on 19th May? Or which Country's entry is entitled 'In My Dreams'? Click here to find out all the details.

  • 5th March 2005 - Same Old Rubbish

    • Somehow, Reading managed to move back into the play-off places, despite still failing to win a league game this year. This was another turgid display and the only happy people in the ground would have been any long suffering insomniacs.

    Queen's Park Rangers and Reading both failed to find the target in a scrappy and uninspiring goalless draw at Loftus Road.

    In a match of few clear chances, both sides appeared happy to settle for a Coca-Cola Championship point.

    Reading began the better of the two, belying their poor recent form by taking the game to QPR.

    Nicky Shorey made good progress down the left, but his cross to the back post was headed poorly by Glen Little when Les Ferdinand was in a good position.

    In the 11th minute Rangers' Lee Cook slung a cross to the back post - and Ivar Ingimarsson had to be alert as Paul Furlong ran in.

    Four minutes later, after great play from Cook, Furlong pulled a volley just wide of Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann's goal when he should perhaps have done better.

    Rangers sustained their pressure, Matthew Rose rattling the bar as his shot took a deflection off Reading midfielder Ricky Newman.

    Kevin Gallen should also have done better after more good link play from Cook, but his weak shot was easily gathered by Hahnemann before Ferdinand was forced off through injury.

    The 38-year-old ex-England international, who has been suffering from a hamstring injury, was replaced in the 33rd minute by Dean Morgan - to generous applause from the 16,971 crowd.

    A Little cross then caused problems in the QPR box as Reading hit back - and with Senegalese international Ibrahima Sonko ready to pounce, Rose did well to clear.

    Reading began the second half in similar style to the first, making headway in the QPR half before they had a penalty appeal turned down.

    Morgan made a meal of a challenge from a Rangers defender, much to the annoyance of the home side, but the referee failed to book the young forward when a card for diving might have been appropriate.

    Gallen then came close to breaking the deadlock with a volley from distance which whistled just wide of the Reading goal.

    A hopeful ball over the top of the Rangers defence broke into the stride of Dave Kitson, who put the ball in the net, only for his shot to be ruled out for offside.

    Steve Sidwell, strangely subdued for long periods of the game, saw his fierce 35-yard drive go close after being set up by Newman from a Reading free-kick.

    QPR substitute Tony Thorpe then released Jamie Cureton - but the striker's wasteful finish was typical of the match.