Reading Football Club have made a sweet PR move to distract fans from the current plight the club is in (you know, the lack of an experienced Director of Football, a threadbare squad, no manager...) by giving them the chance to rename the North Stand.
In a news release on the official website, the club said:
Since the very first ball was kicked at Madejski Stadium, the four sides of our new home have simply been named according to their geographical status…North, South, East and West.
As a club, we have decided it’s time to break away from the compass points and we want to hand one stand over to you…our fans.
Reading Football Club is asking its supporters to rename the North Stand!
They go on to have some epic #bants and hope for some #engagement.
Enough of the news, more of the reaction. Fans on Twitter have had a... mixed reaction to the opportunity.
Some jumped at the chance to throw some humorous names into the mix.
WouldTheRealSlimShadyPlease Stand #readingfc
— Jamie Hodder (@Jamie_Hodder21) June 1, 2016
@ReadingFC In recognition of McDermott's contribution to #readingfc the McUseless Stand.
— Sir Dodger Royal (@SirDodgerRoyal) June 1, 2016
The Grzegorz Rasiak Stand is finally here #readingfc https://t.co/Nfe883n3O5
— Zac Williams-Smith (@imnotasian1994) June 1, 2016
The Emerse Faè we hardly knew you Stand. #readingfc
— Nath St Paul (@NathStPaulBAWF) June 1, 2016
The Empty promises stand @ReadingFC #readingfc
— Ed (@edebayor) June 1, 2016
The Jure Travner stand @ReadingFC #readingfc
— Will (@will_rfc) June 1, 2016
The Nigel Adkins positivity corner #readingfc
— Erik O (@Orrgarde) June 1, 2016
.@ReadingFC after a lot of thought, my serious suggestion is:
— Jacob South Klein (@JacobSouthKlein) June 1, 2016
"The Anton and Les Ferdi-Stand"#readingfc
@maffff @ReadingFC @IanM1871 @Royaltypoints @Chartley1983 Agreed. The Unprofessional Joke Of A Stand it is.
— The Tilehurst End (@TheTilehurstEnd) June 1, 2016
Some thought up actual, proper names.
@ReadingFC The Steve Coppell stand. Got to be. #ReadingFC #106
— Pippa Rouse (@PippaRouse) June 1, 2016
@ReadingFC The Martin Hicks Stand. Record number of appearances unlikely to be beaten & our first (only) Wembley winning captain. #readingfc
— Mark (@_One8Seven1_) June 1, 2016
Anyone suggested yet that the North Stand should be named after the man who formed #ReadingFC? Could do a lot worse than the Sydenham Stand.
— Will Jones (@WilliamOwain) June 1, 2016
@ReadingFC New North Stand 'The Robin Friday Stand' or 'The Ronnie Blackman Stand' to recognize some of our greatest ever forgotten players!
— callmeruben (@callmeruben1) June 1, 2016
"The Robin Friday Stand" or "The Elm Park End" @ReadingFC
— Meredith. (@ShesNotAnyonee) June 1, 2016
Some were downright cynical.
Is this a way of getting fans back onside? #readingfc https://t.co/6WXPpWix3A
— Jonathan Lara (@jonathan_lara) June 1, 2016
You just know some people will be unhappy with the name of the North Stand and it'll be all the Thais fault. #readingfc
— Matt (@MattJamesJoy) June 1, 2016
They absolutely are doing this so that when we have the "Carabao Stadium" they can say "well we let you name a stand." #readingfc
— Jamie Austin (@austin_j_powers) June 1, 2016
Deflection tactic, or long-term plan?
The timing of this news is... awkward, to say the least. The owners sacked Brian McDermott mere days ago, long-serving Director of Football Nicky Hammond has moved to pastures new and the squad has lost six loanees, Anton Ferdinand, Hal Robson-Kanu and a host of youngsters.
All of which has led many fans to reconsider whether they want a season ticket for the 2016/17 season. So, to swell interest in the club, how about renaming the stand? The perfect deflection tactic.
Or is it a long-term plan for the fans to take some ownership of the stadium before the Madejski Stadium is renamed the Carabao Colosseum this summer?
Okay, okay, I'm being crude and extremely cynical. It's probably been in the planning for a long time and the timing is just awkward. I'm just bitter because we're not allowed to name the stand Standy McStandface.
AUTO_LINK_TOKEN_3_AUTO_LINK_TOKEN Standy McStandFace
— Ian East (@Easters86) June 1, 2016
Oh. pic.twitter.com/9QFddFbSqA
— Hoops (@RoyalHoops) June 1, 2016
Put forward a name
You can put forward your suggestion in four ways:
- Comment on the post on the club’s official Facebook site
- Tweet your suggestion to @ReadingFC
- Email your entries to darathomas@readingfc.co.uk
- Send your suggestions to Dara Thomas, Reading Football Club, Madejski Stadium, J11, M4, Reading, RG2 0FL. Please note however, entries must be submitted by Friday 10th June.