:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51596237/GettyImages-459380064.0.jpg)
Just before kick off yesterday Reading held a minute silence. Nothing abnormal there, except this was the second one held for the King of Thailand.
Some would argue that holding one in the first place was a little strange given that the King of Thailand doesn't really have anything to do with Reading or the UK.
However, given the club's owners are Thai and the way the King was held back in their homeland it was understandable that the club felt it should acknowledge his passing away. Parliament and Government buildings had lowered their flags to half mast so the club were not alone in paying their respects.
As far as I know this is the first time the club have ever held two minute silences for one person and I dare say that this will not happen again any time soon.
We at the Tilehurst End wanted to gauge fans' opinion on the second minute silence so asked the following question on twitter:
Random Sunday poll for you. How did you feel about #ReadingFC holding a second minute silence for the King of Thailand?
— The Tilehurst End (@TheTilehurstEnd) October 30, 2016
One reply to the poll in particular interested us:
@TheTilehurstEnd The gentleman in front of me summed it up "if they spend 5m on a forward in January they can do what they want each match"
— Pervy Wink (@MadStadBlues) October 30, 2016
It's debate many of you have probably had before, particularly given that in recent years Cardiff City were forced to wear red by Vincent Tan and Hull City's fans battles to avoid their club being renamed Hull Tigers by their owner.
Reading fans themselves had a battle for the club's identity in the 1980s when Robert Maxwell tried to take the club over and merge us with Oxford United. The new club would have been known as Thames Valley Royals and allegedly based in Didcot.
So how would Reading fans react to another potential change to the club's identity. In 2012, Vincent Tan said he would boost his investment into the Bluebirds to £100m to improve the club's chances of promotion if they changed their colours. He was as good as his word and the next season Cardiff went up as champions after spending big.
Would Reading fans welcome such investment and increased chances of promotion if it meant a change to the club's name and/or colours? We want to find out so please vote below and leave your thoughts in the comments section.