5 minutes ago, Rampant Zebra said:

Have they? Suspended 3 points according to the EFL statement.

Yes it’s a suspended 3 point deduction, the FA are also investigating i suspect they will give us another fine which our owner won’t pay!

11 minutes ago, Quart said:

Yes it’s a suspended 3 point deduction, the FA are also investigating i suspect they will give us another fine which our owner won’t pay!

Don't worry about RZ. He get's all the latest news from Ceefax

It’s fine. If we’re losing the replay we should enter the pitch and get it abandoned. I think it’s an utter joke personally and I’m very glad I didn’t make the trip down and sorry to those that did. We should have been awarded the points and the game shouldn’t be being replayed. EFL couldn’t care less and have properly stitched us up. 

Wonder if the wet wipe Vale fans who cheered Reading on at Wigan are now relieved they didn't win ? 

We'd only be a point above relegation had Reading won. 

Still incredulous people did such a thing. 

7 hours ago, Raveninblack said:

they’ve been docked five points 

Not sure what you mean by this post. I can't see where reading have been docked any points.

I'm assuming it's sarcasm,  perhaps saying after looking at it again,  vale have been docked 5 points?

7 hours ago, Raveninblack said:

they’ve been docked five points 

No they haven't

7 hours ago, Quart said:

I don’t think it was realistic for Police / Stewards to stop it completely - the club did have more stewards in the place they thought the invasion would start but it started from the complete opposite end of the stadium.

I think it’s a tough one, especially for the head stewards, the same people who have not been paid on time / in full multiple times, who’s job might be gone in a few months, if I was in their situation I’m not sure I’d be desperate to stop people protesting against those destroying the company I work for either.

I’m surprised the club thought the invasion would come from the other end of the stadium in view of the fact that all the tennis balls came on from the 1871 section in the first minute. That gave them 15 minutes to move the pre match kick about netting from behind the goal to in front of that area to make an invasion more difficult  

The simple fact is Reading totally underestimated what the protest would be like and consequently made no provision at all to prevent it. When the bulk of the fans were on the pitch there were no stewards in front of that area yet there were still people coming on to the pitch. There were stewards guarding the tunnel and a very thin like of stewards in front or the Vale fans!!  I have all this on video. I’m afraid Reading we’re seriously culpable for the pathetic organisation of this event. 
 

8 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

I’m surprised the club thought the invasion would come from the other end of the stadium in view of the fact that all the tennis balls came on from the 1871 section in the first minute. That gave them 15 minutes to move the pre match kick about netting from behind the goal to in front of that area to make an invasion more difficult  

The simple fact is Reading totally underestimated what the protest would be like and consequently made no provision at all to prevent it. When the bulk of the fans were on the pitch there were no stewards in front of that area yet there were still people coming on to the pitch. There were stewards guarding the tunnel and a very thin like of stewards in front or the Vale fans!!  I have all this on video. I’m afraid Reading we’re seriously culpable for the pathetic organisation of this event. 
 

The first people running on the pitch come from the north / east stand direction not the 1871 section. I don’t disagree, they could have probably done more, but again my point is, would you be stopping people who are protesting to try save the company you work for? The same company who have under paid / not paid you multiple times over the last couple of years.

Sure the stewards could have gone harder, but I don’t think it would have actually improved the situation and tensions would have just boiled over into the next game. 

27 minutes ago, Quart said:

The first people running on the pitch come from the north / east stand direction not the 1871 section. I don’t disagree, they could have probably done more, but again my point is, would you be stopping people who are protesting to try save the company you work for? The same company who have under paid / not paid you multiple times over the last couple of years.

Sure the stewards could have gone harder, but I don’t think it would have actually improved the situation and tensions would have just boiled over into the next game. 

The 1871 section we’re counting down to 16 minutes from the scoreboard and went on as soon as the clock hit 16.

Old bill. Raised truncheon. Pitch evacuated as all the 15 year olds in their Stone Island leg it.

Job done.

Instead they huddled together chatting about what a lovely earner they were on. 

1 minute ago, Jacko51 said:

The 1871 section we’re counting down to 16 minutes from the scoreboard and went on as soon as the clock hit 16.

To be fair the Vale fans were counting us down too! There was plenty of stewards at 1871 but once people started getting on the pitch I suspect it’s safer to let people on then try stop 100’s pushing their way on.

The whole situation stinks and it isn’t fair on the Port Vale fans who travelled, equally I don’t want to be protesting / getting games abandoned, I can only dream to be a normal football club!

For what it’s worth one of our departing players had an interesting picture choice in his goodbye tweet, which to me does suggest despite the consequences the protest was unfortunately needed.

 

1 hour ago, Quart said:

The first people running on the pitch come from the north / east stand direction not the 1871 section. I don’t disagree, they could have probably done more, but again my point is, would you be stopping people who are protesting to try save the company you work for? The same company who have under paid / not paid you multiple times over the last couple of years.

Sure the stewards could have gone harder, but I don’t think it would have actually improved the situation and tensions would have just boiled over into the next game. 

Personally I agree with you however there's a load of Vale fans who don't. I'll be honest with you and say I wasn't at the game and as such I have to show loyalty to my fellow Vale fans who travelled at great expense to watch a game that never was. Furthermore it could be argued that we are at a disadvantage with the replay due to it now being a night game and fewer fans are able to travel.

I've said it before, if i thought a pitch invasion might in some small way save my club, I'd be over the barriers like a shot.

There can be little doubt that everyone's main channel of angst should probably be aimed at the EFL. The amount of egotistical idiots they allow to take over football clubs is scandalous, look at Reading, Fleetwood, Bury and ourselves with the mendacious Smurthwaite. 

I hope Reading survive, I hope we stuff you in the replay and I hope the EFL finally get a grip.

Edited January 25, 20242 yr by Dr Delgado

23 minutes ago, Dr Delgado said:

Personally I agree with you however there's a load of Vale fans who don't. I'll be honest with you and say I wasn't at the game and as such I have to show loyalty to my fellow Vale fans who travelled at great expense to watch a game that never was. Furthermore it could be argued that we are at a disadvantage with the replay due to it now being a night game and fewer fans are able to travel.

I've said it before, if i thought  pitch invasion might in some small way save my club, I'd be over the barriers like a shot.

There can be little doubt that everyone's main channel of angst should probably be aimed at the EFL. The amount of egotistical idiots they allow to take over football clubs is scandalous, look at Reading, Fleetwood, Bury and ourselves with the mendacious Smurthwaite. 

I hope Reading survive, I hope we stuff you in the replay and I hope the EFL finally get a grip.

Thank you - and don’t get me wrong - I fully do understand the frustrations on the Port Vale side, especially those who spent a lot of money coming down / hotels / etc, but at the time I think most fans felt we needed to make as bigger statement as possible and unfortunately an abandoned game was the next step from throwing tennis balls on the pitch. I hope it helps in even just the slightest way.

Don’t worry we seem to be selling a fair few players so the replay may end up being an easier game for you anyway!

Todays news, tomorrows chip wrapper, as they used to say when chips were wrapped in old newspaper rather than commercially available catering paper.

Your secret love for DC is showing there RZ - He used that phrase all the time [emoji16]

49 minutes ago, philmpv said:

 

 

Your secret love for DC is showing there RZ - He used that phrase all the time

 

I think that expression was in use before he was born...