View From The Dolan: Out On A High

A bumper crowd packed into the SCL for Reading’s 3-2 win over Blackpool on Saturday.

And just like that, another season slams shut. My 32nd complete season following this club by the way. Bonkers. I’m not quite sure we’ll ever see the likes of this one again, or rather, I hope we don’t see the likes of this again. It’s been an incredible period of time that seemed to lurch from one disaster to another, keeping us all in a state of misery, rage, despair and sadness.

Heading into this game, I had an overwhelming sense of gratefulness: gratitude, if you will. No pressure, no misery, just excitement, joviality and carefree vibes for me. I’d selected my outfit well in advance, planned my morning and was ready for a day of fun and celebration.

Of course, the weather hadn’t read the script. It was very ‘un-end of the season’ of it, the clouds gathering in the sky like large pieces of reduced meat in the clearance fridge of a popular supermarket. Determined not to let this bother me, I forewent my coat in order to show off my Spain jacket to the world / Dolan.

Speaking of the Dolan, it was teeming with life! Even my block was pretty full, with a last-minute rush on tickets seemingly going to plenty of people in the B blocks. In fact, the whole stadium was pretty populated and it looked great. The flag was great, there was a smattering of inflatables and everyone, without exception, was bang up for it.

Everyone except the defence of the deliciously unpredictable football club. Within four minutes of the game kicking off, we were 1-0 down and let me tell you, the language was as thick as gravy at that point. The tutting, I’m sure, could have been heard in Friar Street. The rage was palpable.

Until of course, a small plastic flamingo made its way down the rows and landed in the front rows of the stand. A moment to break even the most despondent of souls and send smiles spreading across stony faces quicker than a stressed father of three shutting the car boot of his family estate vehicle.

On the pitch, we perked up, the lads no doubt buoyed by wearing the brand-new home kit for the very first time. Sam Smith got us back in the game on the stroke of the water break to send the regular and non-regular punters off into the concourses for their half-time pint of continental lager.

When everyone returned, they found the visiting team in resurgent form and ready for a God-damn scrap! This fizzled out quickly and we were able to score to take to the lead: an incredibly underrated goal from Mr H Knibbs.

It got even better when Femizola put another away to take us into a 3-1 lead - party time at the Stade de SCL. The Tangerines (the most neglected of all the orange breeds) scored a comical second but, in truth, it was academic. The three points were staying in Berkshire and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

A very nice presentation at the end of the game took place (side note: I really liked this - a great way to close out the season, keep people in their seats and show a much-deserved session of appreciation), with Lewis Wing crowned as Mr Reading for the 2023/24 season. This was followed by a splendid lap of honour to send the fans away into the summer full of optimism and downright hope.

It’s incredible to think that something as simple as everyone pulling in the right direction, showing reciprocal respect and generally giving a sh*t would provoke such an outpouring of emotion and happiness.

Yes we’ve finished 17th, yes we’ve had a torrid time for most of the season and yes, we’ve had to fight for everything on and off the pitch, but my goodness that game on Saturday was a great antidote to all that. I don’t want to repeat at least 95% of this season ever again, but that 5% will be the springboard for us and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

This is my fifth season writing this column and, despite having to do it when a virus ravaged the globe, nothing will come close to the difficulties in writing it this year. Without sounding clichéd, the one thing that has kept me going is seeing the reaction it gets from you, the readers, to whom I forever grateful for.

Thank you for reading this piece and thank you for reading any of the pieces I’ve done over the season. Unless I get a better offer, I’ll be back next season to “go again” and head into the sixth year of “View from the Dolan”.

Have a great summer, look after yourselves and I’ll see you soon.

Until next time.