Reading FC

Matt Mills reacted to booing from sections of the crowd
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Bertrand backs Reading FC's Mills

By Matthew Sadler
March 17, 2010

Ryan Bertrand leapt to the defence of Matt Mills after the centre-back’s one-finger gesture towards Reading fans during last night’s 1-0 win over QPR.

Mills was responding to the abuse he received from the East Stand after a wayward long ball to Jimmy Kebe.

Bertrand said he was shocked that a section of the Royals crowd had jeered his team-mate, saying: “I couldn't believe it. Millsy has been excellent for us especially over recent weeks.

“I think it got to him. As a professional you try not to let it get to you, but in fairness to the crowd, they then got behind him in the end. No player deserves that stick. He’s your own player. Get behind him, don’t boo him.”

Gylfi Sigurdsson’s 84th-minute penalty proved decisive for Royals after the talented youngster was brought down in the box by Matt Hill.

But Reading made hard work against a QPR side, who were reduced to 10 men when Damion Stewart was sent off in the first half for two bookable offences.

Royals boss Brian McDermott said: “Obviously the crowd were a little bit frustrated and we were all getting a little bit edgy at times. Playing against a side that are as resilient as QPR, it was never going to be easy to break them down.

“I’ve asked Matt to hit some diagonal balls. He’s hit some fantastic ones and after one that didn’t come off the crowd got a little bit frustrated.

“At the end of the game they were calling his name, though. It’s eight wins out of nine and he’s been involved in every one of those games. He’s been absolutely outstanding.”

Bertrand insisted: “We were confident the goal was going to come. These teams like to make it ugly and it’s horrible to play against, but you have to concentrate on your job and get the result.

“They camp in front of their area and don’t come out to play, but we got the win in the end and that is all that matters.”

The win lifts Reading to 14th place and keeps alive their dreams of an unlikely play-off push.

Bertrand added: “No-one would have thought that earlier on in the season, but it shows how far we have come as a team.”

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'desperate and ineffective hoof tactics' - we got 3 points and won the game??

bennno, Reading
18/03/2010 at 12:31

Personally I'm more disappointed to hear that McDermott (as I suspected at the time) was behind the desperate and completely ineffective hoof tactics that we resorted too after time. That tactic is probably the one thing he learned from Coppell that he really should try to forget as soon as possible! It rarely worked for us under Coppell and it won't work any better under McDermott. What's more, it's not the type of football that the paying supporters want to see.

HARB
17/03/2010 at 19:21

@ AC Loyal Royal

I personally never booed him, I just pointed out that I feel some of the boos and anger displayed at him after his gesture was justified. I also thought his decision to run off down the tunnel was a poorly judged one. However, he's explained it all in his statement and I'm happy with that.

And I'd never support anyone BUT Reading. And I said support because I have been a supporter, not a follower, for over 20 years. As you pointed out, football is an emotional game but those emotions can be angry or happy but it doesn't mean I'd ever stop supporting the club because I love it.

And I'm the first to say dwindling crowd numbers is a good thing, not a bad thing, because it removes the fair weather "followers" you're referring to. Not winning at home for such a long time was the best thing to happen to Reading FC in years in that respect.

AlbertDarkson, Reading
17/03/2010 at 16:51

So we had an extra man on the pitch for 45mins and still we played like a bunch of Sunday League footballers, fair that QPR came to the Mad Stad to get something but come on!! we had a lot of space to pass the ball but just decided to hoof the ball up field and hope or rely on Kebe doing his magic. You could obviously see that the long ball tactic wasn't working last night. It was frustrating to say the least!! Also what is going on with the East Stand Reading have the worst chants, it was like sitting with a bunch of school kids!! shouting ''Your Mum'' or ''Your Dad'' to the away supporters I think even they where laughing at us. Come on Reading Fans think of some decent chants your making us look like a bunch of …!!

Reading1985
17/03/2010 at 15:39

Oi Albert Darkson

Yeah fine Matt Mills probably should not have made that gesture, but like I said football is passionate and emotional and someone fans and players do things prehaps they should not, lets look at facts here, we have been playing out best football in a very long over the last couple of months and none of the fans should be complaining. If you wanna go out and boo players then bugger off to follow someone else, like Chelsea!! or QPR prehaps!!! and I say follow and not support because real SUPPORTERS dont boo their own players!!!

AC Loyal Royal, Reading
17/03/2010 at 15:31

Look, instead of arguing, can we all just agree that we're happy...no, DELIGHTED...over-the-moon, even...that we ended up with Brian McDermott and NOT Iain Dowie as manager? If that was the case we'd probably be a lot worse off and Matt Mills having a strop would be the least of our worries!

Good luck Hull!

AlbertDarkson, Reading
17/03/2010 at 15:31

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1996630,00.html

Just seen this, well done young man, now lets move on.

LOYAL ROYAL, A33
17/03/2010 at 15:20

I dont agree with booing your own fans either but lets be clear what happened here. Mills was not booed before his gesture to the crowd. What he reacted to was as somebody else said the groans of a few hundred fans who were frustrated with seeing his cross field passes end up in row G. For him to turn around whilst the game was going on and stare out the East Stand before giving them the finger was ridiculous. I think far more fans booed him after that than groaned in the first place and rightly so, he needed to know that his behaviour was not acceptable to most. When the crowd started to sing his name and clap him he again turned and just shook his head, no acknowledegment to those that were trying to lift him, arrogance to say the least. Matt Mills has been a great player in recent weeks and milked the plaudits, this was not the way to behave. Make no bones about it, if he had done this to the away fans he would be in serious trouble, not only with the FA but most probably the Police as well. Good luck for the rest of the season Matt, but a little humillity wouldnt go a miss.

LOYAL ROYAL, A33
17/03/2010 at 15:03

Got to love Warnock!!

Warnock added: "At Liverpool it's a penalty, at Reading it's a penalty.

"If you leave your foot out as a defender, you are inviting the foul.

"I thought it was the wrong decision but 90 per cent of referees would give it.

"But we had four or five opportunities when we could have gone down and you wonder whether I have to coach my players to go down."

No Neil just carry on coaching them to kick lumps out of the opposition instead!! He never changes.

Robsy , Reading
17/03/2010 at 15:01

What sort of **** shouts "Hoof" to their own players anyway? Please don't come back with "entitled to voice opinions / freedom of speech" BS...the boy has been a rock for us, a consistently good performer!

...and I wouldn't worry about the "children" in the East Stand being offended, most of em have dirtier mouths than a dog applying his own lipstick.

richiecola, Reading
17/03/2010 at 14:59

Why are certain posters harping on about the long ball tactics? It was obvious McD had instructed the lads to go route one and they followed it to the letter. Brian has even sadi that's what he told them at half time.

Are you all going to Boo the manager next home game? Notice i didn't say away game as away fans are more patient and dare i say rational.

TilehurstSouthbank, Tilehurst, Reading
17/03/2010 at 14:45

The fact is that we played crap! Mills was giving away the ball too many times, we are entitled to moan and groan! One finger shows that he has alot of growing up to do.

However, mistake happen, he should say sorry and we will forget it.

Tilehurst Ender, Spencers wood
17/03/2010 at 14:34

Everyone is human and everyone makes mistakes, which is what I believe Matt Mills did last night.

I do not like, or think it helpful, for fans to openly target individuals in a game, it can only serve to increase the pressure, rather then relieve it. That said, it is perfectly acceptable for paying fans to express general frustration at a game that is appearing fruitless and contains mistakes. After all, we all pay to watch football, not because we want to just sit quietly, we have the TV for that, but so that we can enjoy and join in the emotion of it!

Personally I think the guesture was inappropriate for whatever reason it was made, I believe it was a mistake in the ehat of the moment rather than to cause intentional long term issues, something that we are all prone too, but we should all be able to admit mistakes; maybe that is all we need to hear?

Mark Stephens
17/03/2010 at 14:16

lets remember Matt Mills is what only 21, how the hell would you like it if 5000 people were booing you despite making an effort and following team instructions. Whilst he shouldn't have reacted i am astounded at some of the so called Reading fans, perhaps you should go and watch some glory prem team if you feel like that. It makes me laugh that most of you couldn't see what a job that QPR did last night which was nullify our team close down win second balls etc it was frustrating but shouldn't be taken out on the players who had to work hard to grind out that result last night.

Russell B
17/03/2010 at 14:13

Get off his back Yes he's a pro footballer and yes he gets paid a lot of money to do a job he loves but he is a human being and all human beings make mistakes from time to time but obviously none of the fans who gave him stick do, i can't believe certain fans would give one of own players stick just because he misplaced a few passes... Matt mills has been in excellent form and its no coincidence his form has coincided with the teams form, surely he's allowed a bad game??, but by all accounts he was a rock again!! I remember a few years back sonko thinking he could hit long balls like franco baresi and all the time his went out of play did he get stick? don't think so

yes we pay his wages yes we are entitled to our opinion but if fans can't handle any player weather it be ours or another teams not liking the stick they are getting and sometimes responding to it then maybe these 'so called fans' should think before they start giving players stick