Recall: Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

Carey Davis would like to recall the message, "Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth".

Recall: Piccadilly Circus

Carey Davis would like to recall the message, "Piccadilly Circus ".

Recall: Cliveden ... no sign of Christine Keeler

Carey Davis would like to recall the message, "Cliveden ... no sign of
Christine Keeler".

Recall: I wanted a convertible really...

Carey Davis would like to recall the message, "I wanted a convertible
really...".

Recall: Taking it easy in the New Forest

Carey Davis would like to recall the message, "Taking it easy in the New
Forest".

Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

 

Piccadilly Circus

 

Cliveden ... no sign of Christine Keeler

 

I wanted a convertible really...

 

Taking it easy in the New Forest

 

Sidwell to Chelsea

So Sidwell gets his dream move to Chelsea and will presumably get a few games when Lampard goes to Barcelona and when the African Nations Cup is on

 

Will Zamora ever get to Reading and link up with Coppell again ? Now that would be good !

.

 

Manchester United 1 - 1 Reading

The magic of the cup ! Two reserve teams disrespecting the traditions (according to the papers) but putting on a great game

Reading 2 - 1 Preston

Saturday 28 February 2006
The Coca-Cola Football League Championship

What a good game! Preston were tough. Very much like the side that destroyed West ham at Upton Park last season. Best game I've seen at the Madejski for a while.

But the referee - clearly NEVER played the game! Carlo Nash - the footballers Wives lookalike in his white boots , white gloves and gelled back long hair was awarded free kicks for the most gentle of challenges at corners yet when Claude Davis climbed all over Kevin Doyle in the penalty area the ref waved play on . Worse still - Nash cam running out of his box, clattered into Dave Kitson "Harold Shumacher" style, knocked him clean out and again the ref waved play on - ridiculous.

The first Reading goal consisted of hand ball by Steve Sidwell and the hand ball by a Preston defender - neither of which the referee saw - so it counted. Preston equalised almost immediately from a Callum Davidson free kick. Hanneman probably was at fault for standing in the middle of his goal but then he, like me, no doubt thought it was going in the top right , not bottom left!

Kitson went off, Sidwell went off - no gingas left - but Lita came on and scored just before half timewith a cross shot which went in the far corner, Nash should have had it really but was probaly reluctant to get dirty.

Preston then brought on all the big guns. Nugent & Omerod off - Dichio and some other 6 footer on - but Sonko reigned supreme in the air, and Murty kicked two off the line. 3 points and Sheffield United went down 2-3 at home to QPR - Marvellous!

12 points clear of 2nd placed Sheffield United, 19 points clear of 3rd placed Watford.

Luton 3 - Reading 2

Friday, 17 February 2006
The Coca-Cola Football League Championship

Another Friday night game, another on Sky Sports 1.

You can tell the Producer at Sky is just desparate for Reading's unbeaten run to come to an end live on Sky (not paranoid am i?) and tonight he finally got lucky!

Kevin Doyle (again) put Reading ahead after 20 seconds and I missed it as I hadn't got to the pub by then. Here we go ....

But no ... Luton looked a lot brighter and sharper and went 2-1 up with well worked goals and then went 3-1 up with a Dean Morgan goal (ex-Reading!) in the second half. Doyle got a second in the 90th minute but overall Luton were better and Reading just looked tired. No Little or Sidwell tonight either.

And so the team at Sky spent all the time after the game interviewing Luton players and officials and went on and on about Luton. Nothing about the 30-odd game unbeaten run.

Lets hope we get back to winning ways at home to Preston next week.

Focus on the positives -

• 83 points
• Goal Difference of 52 - despite letting in 7 goals in the last 3 games
• 9 points clear of 2nd place (Sheffield United)
• 19 points clear of 3rd place (Watford)

Sheffield United 1 - 1 Reading

Tuesday, 14 February 2006
The Coca-Cola Football League Championship

Valentines Day and what better way to spend it than an away trip to Sheffield United - Top v Second. Got there early to soak up the atmosphere (or Stella) and fade into the background of Southern Yorkshire life. "We've got the pub, you bring the grub" was the
slogan and that's why all these Blades were bringing in chip butties, chips & gravy butties, and chips & curry sauce butties !

And so on to the game and here we are in the away end at Bramall Lane, home of "The Blades". Not a great view to be fair but it was a competitive first half - Sheffield had lots of possession but not much to show for it and Akinbyi doesn't get any better ....

Sheffield scored when Bruce Dyer benefited from a rare defensive mix up but Reading - true to recent form - bounced back quickly through Dave Kitson who does have incredibly bright ginger hair.

Much the same in the second half too although Reading were riding their luck. Then, in the 90th minute, Convey burst through and was brought down by Paddy Kenny. Definite pen, Warnock went mad as he normally does, and then Kitson missed ! Normally he bangs it straight down the middle, but not this time, Kenny saved ....... and everyone went home happy, including us, but not until wed gone for a curry in the wonderful Lahore Palace.