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.

Winning the Championship - Directors Box

Now where had I heard those words before? Once a-g-a-i-n, I found myself being pushed through a dressing room door, this time of course, it was the Home dressing room. The room was crowded with players and management team, everyone preoccupied with congratulating each other for winning the game and becoming Champions with still 5 games to go. There was a lot of handshaking, back slapping, all the things that you would imagine goes on under these circumstances.

I didn’t really get much chance to take many pictures, because before long the word went out, everybody up to the Directors Box. And so it was that I was swept along with everyone else, temporarily part of the “team” as we made our way through the internal stairs, out into the corridor, through the Directors Bar and into the Directors Box, to huge cheers from the fans waiting on the pitch below.

Now clearly none of these cheers were for me, but I have to say just how easy it is to get caught up in the euphoria of the moment, to feel that sense of great belonging and affinity with the players and fans alike.

Once again, not for the first time this season, I found myself in a privileged position, taking pictures and generally joining in with the celebrations.

Stevel Coppell shakes hands with Steve Sidwell

Marcus Hahnemann bares all

Hugs and smiles all round

View from the Directors Box

Chairman John Madejski and Players applaud the fans

Marcus Hahnemann is joined by his two sons

Dave Kitson, Bobby Convey and Ivar Ingimarsson happy to be Champions

Shane Long, Glen Little and Stephen Hunt all smiles

Leroy Lita nursing his broken ankle still joins in

A happy Bobby Convey

Ibrahima Sonko being interviewed for radio

A proud and happy Chairman John Madejski

Steve Sidwell shows his delight

Dave Kitson and Ivar Ingimarsson

Captain Graeme Murty being interview

A day that this Young Royals fan won't forget

What do you have to do, to get the Captain's Boots

Show your own "Boots" of course.....!!!!

A great result, a great day, a great season, but with still 5 games to go, could this Reading side set a new points total for winning the Championship. The win against Derby County left Reading on 95points, 10 points behind Sunderland's 105 point record.