Reading v QPR 30.04.06 - Championship Presentation

There is winning the Championship, and then there is winning the Championship in style. The 2005/6 Reading team had already secured the title as early as the beginning of April following their emphatic 5-0 defeat of Derby County.

In the last game of the season, in front of a capacity crowd, the Royals had the chance to finish of the season in style by reaching the highest ever points total in English football history. To do this they had to beat QPR, that would give them 106 points for the season. The previous record of 105 was held by Sunderland.

The home fans had to wait until the 40th minute for the first goal, Dave Kitson scoring from close range, giving Reading a 1-0 half time lead.
QPR continued to threaten in the second half, and on 72 minutes Paul Furlong leveled the score stroking the ball pass Marcus Hahnemann. With the clock running down, and the record seeming out of reach, Nick Shorey appeared on the left wing to cross the ball. Shorey's cross struck the arm of QPR defender Langley's arm in the area, and a penalty awarded.

So the stage was set, a golden opportunity to score a winning goal, so who better to step up than Reading's Captain Graeme Stuart Murty to take the spot kick. Murty had only ever scored one goal for Reading some five years previous. The crowd hushed, the referee blew his whistle and Murty ran in to confidently stoke the ball into the net. Reading 2-1 up, and the record was on again.

Having scored only his second goal in five years, Murty set off at pace to celebrate his goal, persued by his team mates. Running to the corner flag, then turning to run directly down the side line, Murty spotted Kingsley in the distance. Without breaking stride Murty made a dash for the hapless Lion, blessfully unaware of what was coming. In a tackle that London Irish would be proud of, Murty floored the Lion, followed by the rest of the Reading players who all piled on top. What better way to
celebrate a goal, the Championship and a possible English League record.

At the final whistle, Reading had earned anothet three points, and the record of 106 points for the season, an impressive 16 points ahead of second placed Sheffield Utd.

Following the game Reading were presented with the  Football League Championship trophy, which is the same trophy as the old First Division (now the Premier League) Champions were handed prior to the Premier League's inception in the 1992–93 season.

Dave Kitson persued by a delighted James Harper

The rest of the Reading players join in to celebrate Dave Kitson's 40th minute goal

"Give us a hug"

The Championship Trophy

Club Chairman Sir John Madejski

Manager Steve Coppell acknowledges the crowd

Chairman and Manager look on

Each player is awared a medal and lines up for the Trophy

Sonko gives Leroy Lita a hug

James Harper takes it all in

Kevin Doyle holding his medal

Chris Makin and his son

Captain Graeme Murty waits to get his hands on the Trophy

Murty is handed the Trophy

Gives it a kiss........

and lifts it to the roar of the crowd

Graeme Murty salutes the crowd and passes the Trophy onto Steve Sidwell

We are the Champions

Champagne anyone.....!!!!!

Trouble getting the corks out...........

That's more like it...............

I think Steve Sidwell is having a problem with his cork...!!!!!

The celebrations really get going

At least one safe pair of  hands who won't drop the Trophy

Nicky Shorey admires the Trophy

Finally Manager Steve Coppell gets to lift the Trophy

Steve Sidwell and his weeks old son Harry

Graham Stack and a smiling Ibrahima Sonko

Ivar Ingimarsson and his son

Seems like a fair swap, boots for a flag

Even Kingsley gets to show off the Trophy

A jubilant Dave Kitson lifts the Trophy

Leroy Lita shows these young Royals fans his medal

This young lad is spell bound

Brynjar Gunnarsson's daughter gets to hold dads medal

The proud Captain Graeme Murty

Nicky Shorey and his wife look into the crowd while holding the Trophy

I gave Nicky a printed copy of this picture the next day, as he waited to get transport that would take players, family, and the management team to where the open top bus tour would start from. Some months later, I was quite proud and pleased to see it hanging in his kitchen, during an interview for SKY Sports.

Coming soon, the final part of this momentous 2005/6 Season, the Open Top Bus Tour of the "City" and lap of honour back at the Madejski.

Also a competition, your chance to win a copy of the image of your choice, from the 2005/6 Championship winning season. Look out for details and how to enter in my next and final entry of this historic and record breaking season.

Sheffield Wednesday v Reading 22.04.06

With their sights still set upon a Championship winning points total, the Royals travelled to Hillsborough for the penultimate game of the 2005/6 Season. Dave Kitson opened the scoring on 34 minutes, sweeping in a shot to beat Scott Carson in the Sheffield Wednesday goal. Kitson was denied a second goal in the second half, being ruled offside two minutes into the second half. Sheffield Wednesday drew level on 59 minutes with a goal from a penalty taken by Steve Maclean. The final scored ended 1-1, Reading still on course for that points record aslant as they could beat QPR in the final game of the season.

Cardiff City v Reading 08.04.06

Following the euphoria and excitement of beating Derby County 5-0 to guarantee winning the Championship, you may have forgiven the team for easing up in their next game away to Cardiff City.

With two goals in the first half, James Harpers on 10 minutes, followed by Dave Kitson’s  on 39 minutes, Reading took a comfortable lead into half time. Cardiff’s problems were only added to, when on 52 minutes Dave Kitson pressurised Glen Loovens into a misguided header into his own net, 3-0 Reading.

Cardiff fought back with goals from Loovens and Parry to give them a chance at 3-2, but when three minutes from time, Stephen Hunt’s cross found Kevin Doyle’s head to make it 4-2 Reading, the game was effectively all over. James Harper added a fifth goal on 90 minutes, his second of the game, to complete another comprehensive win for the Royals.

 
With 98 points from 42 games Reading still had a chance to beat Sunderland’s record points total of 105.

Reading v Derby County 01.04.06

Coming after the joyous celebrations at Leicester City the week before, the next home game against Derby County gave Reading to opportunity to guarantee winning the 2005/6 Championship.  Played on a bright sunny April Fools Day, Reading still needed three more points to make it absolutely certain that they would be this seasons Champions.

Before I get into who scored what, when, I thought readers would find it interesting to see behind the scenes, inside the dressing room, and maybe get a flavour of what went on pre-match to help motivated the team to win.

Here is part of a picture that I took post match inside Reading’s dressing room. It shows what must have been part of the pre-match team discussion, and what some of the players thought the answer to the question, “So why we will beat Derby”, would be.

Pre-Match "Why we will beat Derby"

First up was Leroy Lita, “we don’t want to do what SWFC did back in 83/84”. I’m guessing a reference to Sheffield Wednesday who lost out to Chelsea who won the old second division in that season.

Next up was Sonko, obviously a man of few words, “J.F.D.I”. The missing word was a J. I’ll let you decide what this means, but I think you will get the drift.

And lastly from “Steve “The Truth” Shorey”, presumably some in-joke referring to Nicky Shorey, “because top teams do not take their foot off the pedal”.

Whatever the pre-match discussion, whatever the motivation required to secure the three more points needed, Reading walked out onto a sunny Madejski Stadium to a near capacity crowd, determined to win the Championship in front of their home supporters.

For the first 45 minutes, it didn’t look as though Reading had listened to their own pre-match motivational chat, as it ended goalless, neither side particularly dominating play.

Fortunately, the expectant home crowd didn’t have to wait to long into the second half before Reading opened the scoring through James Harper who fired in a shot on 59 minutes. This goal seemed to spur on the Reading side, as within 6 minutes Reading went further ahead through a headed goal from Kevin Doyle.

Now 2-0 up and confidence levels raised, John Oster joined in by scoring his first goal for the club on 70 minutes. The complete demolition of the Derby side was finished off by Shane Long who scored two goals in two minutes to make the final score 5-0 to Reading. 

At the final whistle, nothing was going to keep the Reading fans from invading the pitch and start their own celebrations. By the time that I had, packed up my gear, and started to make my way across the pitch, well if everyone else is going on the pitch then why not me, the pitch was a sea of cheering Reading supporters.

Having pushed through the throng now surrounding the dugout area, I finally made it to the front of the crowd, and was allowed pass through the ring of security men.

Before I had time to catch my breath, I was once again told, “bring your camera and follow me”. Hang about I thought, that’s the second time I have heard those words in the space of a week.

To be continued…………

James Harper opens the scoring on 59 minutes

Kevin Doyle, scorer of Reading's second goal

A winning team

John Oster scores his first goal for Reading

And is mobbed by his team mates

Steve Sidwell at full stretch to control the ball

Dave Kitson shoots for goal

Promotion Celebrations (continued)

When he finally stopped outside a door some way inside the stand, I only had the briefest of chances to see where we were, before the door was opened and I was shoved through............

Ok, did that really say “Away Dressing Room”. It soon became apparent that it was, as I was confronted by the sight of the Reading players, all in various stages of dress or undress. To my left, I couldn’t help but noticed Steve Coppell in the toilets, peeing into a urinal, was this really happening?

For a few seconds it felt as though we were strangers, intruding into “their” world, a place where only they belonged, somewhere where we would only be tolerated for a few minutes. As it turned out, the players were all still buzzing from the result and gaining promotion, still in a celebratory mood. I began to take random pictures, nervously at first, but then encouraged and even confident enough to ask for a few poses. Then there was the group picture with Champagne sprayed around the dressing room.

The floor was strewn with discarded boots, grass, mud, shirts, socks and shorts, just like every dressing room after a game. It also brought it home to me no matter how famous players or teams become, at the end of the day they are still only 11 men who kick a ball around a field, and even professional players have to stand on the bench when getting dry so as not to get their feet dirty.

Away Players Dressing Room at the Walkers Stadium

As things began to settle down at bit, I took the time to look around, and take in the scene. It struck me just how basic the facilities were, no better than some of the Sunday league facilities that you would find at your local sports field. I understand that most clubs do this for the Away dressing room, so as to make it as least comfortable and relaxing as possible for the visiting team, at least that’s what I was told on a White Hart Lane Stadium Tour. Having said that, I have been inside the Home dressing room at the Madejski, not exactly palatial, so heaven knows what the away teams get. I have to say that I much preferred the Home dressing room at Arsenal’s Highbury ground. Did I mention that I have been inside that one two?

Eventually, we retreated towards the exit and found ourselves once again banished to the outside world, a world full of wouldbe professional footballers all aspired to live the dream, a dream that the Reading players were living. We hung about just outside the door of the dressing room. Eventually the players and staff began to come out in dribs and drabs, heading for the coach ride home. For some strange reason, Glen Little decided to award me his players match day pass, and much like an Olympic medallist being presented with his medal, he hung it round my neck as he left the dressing room.

At the end of a very tiring and emotionally charged day, we arrived back at the Madejski Stadium still buzzing from our experience.

Bobby Convey relaxes after a tough game

James Harper sorting out his bling

A happy Steve Sidwell

Ibrahima Sonko shows off his six pack

Graeme Murty and Ibrahima Sonko happy to be Number 1

John Oster & Dave Kitson on the phone

Nicky Shorey still keeping his feet clean