Sadly talking about the football is not really something that can be done in regards to yesterdays defeat at Reading…
After the amount of chances that we had, and Dave Kitson missed 3 clear chances and then blocked another, we should have got something – in fact won, but if you miss chances you are punished, especially against the better sides like Reading.
The ‘off-the-field’ actions took centre stage really at The Madejski unfortunately!
Before I even arrived I was made aware of the news that SAF, for some reason, was in the ground with the Pompey fans.
It was not until the 2nd half that I was actually made aware of where he was, and it turned out literally a couple of rows in front of me.
As you can imagine he was given quite a lot of abuse, in the end. And once more and more became aware of him, and it is surprising it took until the 2nd half, the more he got. One guy really laid into him although to be fair to him after the initial outburst it seemed like they had a decent(ish) conversation, what it resolved I could not say…
For me far too many people were looking for their ‘5 minutes of fame’ though and the videos that they were making, quite openly saying – some of them – ‘this one is for youtube’ was basically embarrassing to be honest. As was the fact that he was being blamed for everything, some even going as far as saying it was his fault that their season tickets were going to cost £450!
For all his faults, for all his saying this, that and the other would happen, how he can be blamed for literally everything and even what is being decided by the club now is ludicrous.
By all accounts he was abused, verbally and ‘maybe’ physically, with his car attacked as he and his entourage left. In a way he must have expected this but some things do go too far.
Still, I must say that I was not best pleased to see him their – the guy has some front…
The main problem though came at the end when some fans went to the Reading fans, probably 30-50 tried getting into their section as heated words were exchanged – police came in as it threatened to turn nasty.
I cannot tar everyone with the same brush but it ‘seemed’ that a lot of people were out for their ‘jolly up’ in Reading and this is what meant more to them as abuse and hand gestures, not banter, went on throughout the game with some – again just looking at some you could see that they seemed more interested in ‘being in the gang’ than anything.
Most of these actions I found, as said, quite honestly embarrassing and it even shamed me in some ways to be a football fan, dare I even say a Pompey fan.
So, now onto the title ‘well played Steve Cotterill’.
To be honest, and to be fair I do not exactly hide this, I am not entirely convinced by Steve Cotterill at times. That said I cannot deny that with what he has had this season he had done pretty well.
This is by the by though, it was his actions at the end that saw the guy go up in my estimations.
He went over to the fans at the end, applauded us all but in particular made it clear to the fans in the corner that were threatening to kick-off that they had offered good support but it was time for them to go.
Trouble is, and will be, the last thing that we want so I just hope it did end peacefully enough…
PLAY UP POMPEY!
