Skip to main content
BBC SPORT / READING
Graphics Version | Change to International Version | BBC News Home
Sport Homepage | Olympics | Football | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Motorsport | Boxing | Athletics | Snooker | Horse Racing | Cycling | Paralympics | Sport Relief | Other sport... | 606 | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Football Contents:  Euro 2008 | My Club | Gossip | Premier League | Championship | League One | League Two | Non League | FA Cup | League Cup | Scottish Premier | Scottish League | Scottish Cups | Welsh | Irish | Internationals | Europe | African | Women | Football Focus | Match of the Day | Score on BBCi | World Football | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved | Your Game

14:14 GMT, Tuesday, 6 May 2008 15:14 UK

Murty asks for favour from Pompey

Graeme Murty

Reading captain Graeme Murty is confident Portsmouth will give 100% to beat Fulham on Saturday and help the Royals survive in the Premier League.

Reading need to beat Derby on Sunday and hope that Portsmouth can defeat Fulham for them to stay up.

Murty told BBC Radio Berkshire he had been urging on some Pompey players:

"The answers coming back have been positive, because they need to perform this Sunday to book a place in the FA Cup final team."

Murty added that having been promoted to the Premier League just two years ago, his team are determined not to drop back down into the Championship.

"This is where we want to be and we'll be doing our best to stay because it was a horrible, hard journey to get here"
Graeme Murty

"You don't play Manchester United in the Championship. You don't play in front of 78,000 people, you go to Plymouth.

"Home Park's a lovely stadium, but it ain't Old Trafford," he added.

"When you pressure people in the Championship, they kick it out for a throw-in. Rio Ferdinand drops a bit of skill on the centre forward, turns round and pings a 70-yard diagonal to Ronaldo.

"That's the difference. Those are the things you have to cope with and the things you have to elevate your game to.

"People say, 'oh well, back to the Championship and real football'. I've never, ever subscribed to that point-of-view and never will.

"This is where we want to be and we'll be doing our best to stay because it was a horrible, hard journey to get here.

"This might be the last chance for some players to be in the Premier League and we have to scrap like hell to make sure we stay there."

Reading take on Derby at 1500 BST on Sunday 11 May and is live on BBC Radio Berkshire.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:

Reading 0-1 Tottenham (03 May 08 |  Premier League )
Fae slams Reading over suspension (02 May 08 |  Reading )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Football on the BBC
Reading fans' views on 606
BBC Radio Berkshire audio
Reading weather
Reading
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC SPORT: 

Sport Homepage | Olympics | Football | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Motorsport | Boxing | Athletics | Snooker | Horse Racing | Cycling | Paralympics | Sport Relief | Other sport... | 606 | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Football Contents:  Euro 2008 | My Club | Gossip | Premier League | Championship | League One | League Two | Non League | FA Cup | League Cup | Scottish Premier | Scottish League | Scottish Cups | Welsh | Irish | Internationals | Europe | African | Women | Football Focus | Match of the Day | Score on BBCi | World Football | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved | Your Game

^ Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage | Feedback | Help | ©