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Jason Roberts took to Twitter the other day to type a stream of tweets that seemed to indicate he was retiring. No official statement yet, mind, so he could well just have got emotional seeing Dominic Samuel turn up to training on crutches.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Thank you for all of your amazing and kind messages TArmy..especially RFC fans..you are the reason I never gave up this past year..Thank you</p>— Jason Roberts (@JasonRoberts30) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonRoberts30/statuses/422763162027700225">January 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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*sniff* We are a lovely bunch, aren't we?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>19yo comes in on crutches with a knee brace today..how can I complain at 35..nothing is promised!! I pushed my ability as far as it would go</p>— Jason Roberts (@JasonRoberts30) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonRoberts30/statuses/422764362278129664">January 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Dominic Samuel is 19. He's injured. Sad times; but it also gives Roberts some material to meditate on. Not sure you should be doing that cross-legged meditation trick with your injury record, Jase!
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Always imagined I would go out on my Shield..last game..last goal..wave to the crowd and the family..shed a tear or two</p>— Jason Roberts (@JasonRoberts30) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonRoberts30/statuses/422772939294248960">January 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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*IMPENDING RETIREMENT KLAXON*
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>LOVE all of my Clubs..I always imagined I would pull on the <a href="https://twitter.com/handyutd">@handyutd</a> shirt one last time before I retired..back to the start!!</p>— Jason Roberts (@JasonRoberts30) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonRoberts30/statuses/422773321709928448">January 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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*IMPENDING RETIREMENT KLAXON*
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>No official retirement just yet..TArmy.. I will release a statement in due course..</p>— Jason Roberts (@JasonRoberts30) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonRoberts30/statuses/422793311544705025">January 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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... and breathe.
His tweets certainly seem to indicate that a retirement statement is on the way. Thanking the fans, the clubs, looking back on his career, past tense... It all seems inevitable.
So when exactly is "due course"? More importantly, what does that mean for Reading Football Club?
My immediate thought is: not much.
How can it mean much, when he's spent the last year or so on the sidelines with various injuries and setbacks?
Of course, it will mean the club stop paying his wages and we sever ties with the player who has split opinion for over a year now.
Reading fans have grown frustrated. His tweets are ridiculed by some and his lack of appearances for Reading has been felt even more due to the fact that other strikers at the club just haven't clicked.
What bugs many fans, however, is his continued use of the social media network whenever a controversial topic is raised, such as racism in football.
Of course, that's not because Reading fans are racists and not because Roberts doesn't make good points; more that he has a tendency to draw attention away from his current occupation as a player for Reading football club.
Yet it's not just his tweets that can irritate, but many fans portray him as a character who has an ego bigger than his ability.
On the one hand, he's a well-respected figure in the football punditry, and has the experience to match what he says. Respect.
On the other hand, he seems to blow the opinion horn a little too hard; it seems that when he blows the horn some spittle comes out of the end and sprays over you. Unwanted.
We'll finish with two tweets from a couple of fans, summarising just how much Roberts splits opinion.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/JasonRoberts30">@JasonRoberts30</a> thank you for everything you did for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23readingfc&src=hash">#readingfc</a> in 2012 Jason, it will never be forgotten! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23catalystforpromotion&src=hash">#catalystforpromotion</a></p>— Phil Rushton (@PhilTheRush) <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilTheRush/statuses/422775281016135681">January 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Jason Roberts was good, 4/5 months tops. All this legacy/legend bollocks is absolute nonsense. Off the payroll is great news <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ReadingFC&src=hash">#ReadingFC</a></p>— Chris Scott (@LordChrisScott) <a href="https://twitter.com/LordChrisScott/statuses/422766774262964224">January 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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What do you think? Is he worthy of our praise or not? Let us know in the comments below.
