John Madejski hits back

[M4 Junction 11]

John Madejski hits back after vile tabloid attack
icberkshire.icnetwork.co.uk/
By Alex Adams - alexadams@readingchronicle.co.uk

READING supporters were in uproar last night after a tabloid journalist launched a fierce attack on the club, the chairman and the fans. Daily Mirror sports columnist Oliver Holt denounced John Madejski as untrustworthy and accused Royals fans of being "unhinged". In his column yesterday he said: "I don't like the club. I don't like what it stands for". Despite Reading earning plaudits from other pundits, Holt devoted his whole column to describing manager Steve Coppell as boring and deriding club saviour and owner John Madejski for naming the stadium after himself. He then went on to claim that Reading's Premiership achievements this season will only be remembered for "disabling two opposition keepers in the same game" - a reference to the controversial clash with champions Chelsea at the Madejski.

Holt, a self-proclaimed Chelsea fan, claimed Reading got off scotfree in the Cech affair by playing the "underdog card". His article also said Royals coach Wally Downes should be "led to the dugout in a muzzle and restraints" and - having got a taste for the canine metaphor - Holt dubs the fans "rabid".

Some supporters had already reported Holt to the Press Complaints Commission yesterday, and many are vowing never to buy the Daily Mirror ever again. But the majority dismissed Holt's incendiary piece as a transparent attempt to whip up controversy ahead of his appearance on local radio tomorrow. And Reading chairman Mr Madejski is livid after learning he was described as "selfsatisfied" by a man he has never set eyes on. Mr Madejski said: "I will be judged by my record and the people of Reading. I will not be judged by a person that has never met me and doesn't even realise that my eyebrows don't meet in the middle. "He has achieved exactly what he wanted to do, which was stir up a hornet's nest, and we are all wasting our time dealing with it."

Our view

Oliver Holt has besmirched the good name of the Daily Mirror in his vile and disgusting attack on John Madejski and Reading. He attacks Mr Madejski for making his money through secondhand cars - when in fact Mr Madeksji came up with one of the most innovative publishing ideas in Britain. And he calls Steve Coppell boring. Excuse us, but in the last two years Coppell has achieved more than any other English manager in the game. For what they have both achieved Coppell and Madejski deserve KNIGHTHOODS, not this kind of abuse. And The Daily Mirror should hold its head in shame for publishing this tripe.

Fans' view

Alad: It's part and parcel of being up at the top. You have to accept some people are not happy about Reading doing well because it means they've had to admit their pre-season predictions were totally wrong. Working Class Hero: We need to lose the small-time mentality and enjoy the fact that the British psyche is to knock down those who are successful - and therefore the conclusion is that as we are criticised we are successful. Vision: As a journalist the bloke is an absolute joke but as an attention seeker for himself and his employers he is a genius. Stranded: He wants abuse on Friday, so as to back up his points more than anything. So either don't phone in or, if you do, be polite.

Royalflush: After going out of my way to listen to the majority of the previous phone-ins, I will be going out of my way to avoid this one. It is such a transparent wind-up attempt that it is embarrassing.

Views taken from the fans' website, Hob Knob Anyone? ..SUPL:

[willz_royal]

Cage fight anyone?

[T.R.O.L.I.]

I will not be judged by a person that has never met me and doesn't even realise that my eyebrows don't meet in the middle.

[SpaceCruiser]

Why have they taken Alad's view since he isn't really a Reading fan?

[Wycombe Royal]

Hob Knob Anyone?

[M4 Junction 11]

I assume that John will not be calling into BBC Radio Berkshire (who have managed to put the Berk into Berkshire) with his question for the man from the anti-Reading FC Mirror newspaper

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Reading 107, the official station of Reading FC

[mathematically_safe]

looks like i'll have to start re-addressing all my 'Adrian Chiles' envelopes...

[M4 Junction 11]

Some supporters had already reported Holt to the Press Complaints Commission yesterday, and many are vowing never to buy the Daily Mirror ever again.

So own up who's complained to the Press Complaints Commission? Shouldn't this be something for STAR to do after consulting with the club?

[anR]

Some supporters had already reported Holt to the Press Complaints Commission yesterday, and many are vowing never to buy the Daily Mirror ever again.

So own up who's complained to the Press Complaints Commission? Shouldn't this be something for STAR to do after consulting with the club?

That's a bit rash considering STAR didn't make the complaint after consulting RFC.

[Stranded]

Anyone can complain to the PCC though so don't see the problem. If some people felt it crossed the line then they are well within their rights.

[Jerry St Clair]

Oliver Holt has besmirched the good name of the Daily Mirror

[Gordons Cumming]

Oliver Holt has besmirched the good name of the Daily Mirror

I thought that was funny too.

[M4 Junction 11]

There's another article in today's paper copy of the Chronicle 'EXCLUSIVE: Why I have taken a dislike to Reading FC (but it's nothing personal)'. Also a write up by Gilkes 'The only person he hasn't critised is the mascot'

[Sharpy]

grade a tosspot!! good to see alad got in the paper

[Barry the bird boggler]

JM says in the EP

Madejski hits back at 'nasty piece of work'

Loyal Royals would have been angry to read Daily Mirror sports journalist Oliver Holt’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on the club in his column yesterday.

The so-called sports writer of the year – and far from closet Chelsea fan – decided to dedicate his trashy page to knocking the Premiership’s surprise package with a barrage of off-the-wall comments.

They included a scathing attack on chairman John Madejski – who most Royals fans would credit with saving the club from extinction in the early 1990s – for naming the club stadium after himself, taking credit for the team’s success and – bizarrely – having eyebrows that meet in the middle.

He also decided to mention the well-documented injury to Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who suffered a fractured skull following a collision with Royals’ midfielder Stephen Hunt during the clash at Madejski Stadium in October.

While every respected writer, manager and player – Blues’ boss Jose Mourinho aside – labelled the clash an accident, Holt, who made a fortune ghost writing an autobiography for Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, said: “I don’t care whether Reading finish sixth. You know what, even if they overtake Chelsea and Man United, romp the title and win the FA Cup as well, my abiding memory of their debut Premiership season will always be Stephen Hunt kneeing Petr Cech in the head.â€

[Coppelled Streets]

The guy is pathetic, forget him! In the world of football, he means nothing!!!

The best way to respond to this is by having no one phone in to speak to the bloke!

[RoyalBlue]

I think the other tactic suggested is better. Phone BBCRB on the pretence of having a question for Holt. Once on air pointedly ignore the sad b*stard completely and just ask Tim/Joel when they are going to get a guest on who knows something about football.

A few calls like that and I can see the show suddenly being devoted to sound bites of past games!

[shadesrwrf]

It's a shame Madejski felt the need to respond at all.

[RoyalBlue]

Should have left it to his lawyers!

A good few thousand quid from Holt and The Mirror to charity in the good name of Mr Mad and Reading FC!

[Far Canal]

Phone BBCRB on the pretence of having a question for Holt. Once on air pointedly ignore the sad b*stard completely and just ask Tim/Joel when they are going to get a guest on who knows something about football.

I like this approach very much, but do Radio Berks use a delay on their phone calls, so that they can edit out ones they don't like?