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Fans will swing it for Coppell

By Nick Ive
May 14, 2008

Steve Coppell has dropped the strongest hint yet that he will stay on as Reading manager and try to lead the club back into the Premier League next season.

The Royals boss is taking a few days to contemplate his future following Sunday’s relegation to the Championship.

But he has been overwhelmed by the level of support from Royals fans and I understand that, although there are a few minor issues to iron out, he will almost certainly honour the year left on his contract.

Coppell was particularly touched by the tremendous reception he was given from the 3,000-plus travelling army after the club’s 4-0 win over Derby, while local radio stations have been bombarded with supportive texts, begging him not to quit.

There has even been a “Save Steve Coppell” group set up on popular social networking site Facebook – which yesterday had more than 700 members – and a group of fans demonstrated their support yesterday evening outside Madejski Stadium.

Coppell told the Evening Post: “I am the manager and I do feel accountable. My overwhelming feeling is I have let people down. I have not made a decision, though. I am still employed by the club and I was in the office yesterday. I enjoy working here and feel privileged working here.

“The fans’ support does come into my thinking and I was delighted with the reception they gave me personally.

“From that point of view I feel blessed to be working for a club where I am appreciated. I have always said that I want to work at a club where I am wanted and it’s nice to work for a chairman (John Madejski) who wants me.

“I have to say I am delighted with the reaction. I wanted to thank the fans after the Derby game for their backing.

“That support wouldn’t have been there at any other club. They are unique and their response does have a bearing on my future.

“If the fans were all saying ‘he’s had his time’, I wouldn’t be able to stay on.

“They don’t make the decision directly, but indirectly they do. Right across football, supporters have a huge say in who is employed.”

Coppell, who took over at Reading from Alan Pardew in October 2003, has been the club’s most successful manager.

He led them into the top flight for the first time in their 135-year history two seasons ago with a record-breaking 106 points. Then he guided Royals to eighth place in the Premier League – just missing out on a UEFA Cup spot by one point.

His achievements were all the more remarkable considering he spent relatively little money. But after splashing out less last summer than any other Premier League club, Royals were relegated on goal difference on the last day of the season.

Coppell is expected to make an announcement on his future by the end of the week.

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Glenroyal? Overwhelming fan support?

There was 90 people protesting for Copell to stay - out of 25,000 you call that overwhelming?

My friends and I (who have over 30 years worth of season tickets between us) believe that Coppell should have gone long ago - somebody please tell me what he's done in the last year that's so special?!!!

Phil, Wokingham
17/05/2008 at 00:39

Mr Bott,

Calling me a plastic fan? The whole club is full of plastic fans - you're not a football club - you're an accountancy firm! I'll be amazed if you average more than 12,000 fans next season - relegation is a certainty with the 12 man squad (with anyone half decent leaving) and the worst motivator since John Major. Good luck - you'll need it!

M.O.T.

PS Still gonna expand the stadium? HA HA

Phil, Wokingham
17/05/2008 at 00:36

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it's mean-spirited to use an article about overwhelming fan support to make such statements Phil. No doubt he made mistakes, and I suspect not cashing-in on Shorey when he was also unsettled may have been one of them. But if his biggest mistake, like Mr Mad and a huge majority of real fans, was one of loyalty, that's the kind of "mistake" we can all live with and build on.

Glenroyal, Alabama
15/05/2008 at 04:29

Yeah well done Phil from Wokingham. What a lot of thought you've put into that. The man who led us to 8th in the Premier and within a goalposts width of the UEFA cup has obviously made some terrible signings. Do you have the memory of a goldfish? The one positive thing about going down is these plastic Johnny-come-latelys like Phil will p*** off back to Chelsea and leave the club to the real fans again

Philip Bott
14/05/2008 at 16:00

Why anyone would want him to stay is beyond me. Every signing he's made has been awful - with the exception of Lita, who gets shipped out on loan without being given a chance in the team when Doyle and S**tson couldn't score in a brothel. Any decent manager would have flogged Shorey and Hunt when they were clearly playing above themselves (and therefore overvalued) and re-invested the money in the squad. My gran could've done a better job.