Robin Friday: an extraordinary Reading FC hero
The Community Engagement Curator of Reading Museum, Brendan Carr, and I met on Saturday, April 9, 2022. An amazing exhibition honouring Reading Football Club’s 150th anniversary has been organised by Brendan. Among the items on exhibit are a jersey and pictures of the late, great Robin Friday, a remarkable Reading hero.
Join me for a brief overview of my day and some insights into what I witnessed below. Meeting Robin’s family and getting a behind-the-scenes look at the show follow. I will also relate some of the most memorable moments that Robin experienced while playing for Reading. The legacy of his tenure at the Club and his erratic football skills still captivate us today.
Robin Friday and a lucky policeman
The first photograph that Brendan showed to me is the original press photograph of Robin Friday kissing a policeman.
Robin Friday celebrates a goal with idiosyncratic passion: by kissing a policeman!
Andy Alleyne equalised for Reading with a header with roughly fifteen minutes remaining after Rochdale had taken the lead early on. The last whistle was approaching, and Robin Friday jumped onto a deflection off the Rochdale goalie and smashed the ball into the net from five yards out as the score was tied at one.
Amidst the celebrations, Robin sprinted behind the goal, saw a lone police officer, and gave him a passionate kiss. “On the spur of the moment, I grabbed him and kissed him,” Robin said. What was funny was that he kissed me back!
Another Reading player is visible in the picture.According to Reading FC Club Historian David Downs, it’s John Ashton, who appears thrilled to be taking part in the festivities. Maybe he was kissed too! This unique moment was exquisitely captured by the photographer. Furthermore, considering how little Robin liked the “Old Bill,” this was an odd combination.
‘Oi, that’s my goal!’
On the back of this sequence of photographs is written: ‘RDG v CREWE 24/4/76’.
At the time of this match, Reading had already been promoted. It was meant to be a TV spectacular, but it was not, as Crewe had come to frustrate. I have seen these photographs many times before, particularly the last one. But I had never realised they were part of a sequence.
Robin watches the ball in the second shot, as it nears the goal line. We see Gordon Cumming baring down upon it.
Gordon and Robin disagreed on that objective.Robin didn’t agree with Cumming’s belief that he had over the line! Robin received the goal, making his total for the promotion-winning 1975–76 season twenty-two goals. His season goal had been to score twenty goals.
Mrs Friday’s MR MEN scrapbooks
I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up when Brendan showed me these two scrapbooks. Their style is very 70s. Mr. Silly, wearing boxing gloves, is shown on the cover grinning broadly. Certainly ready for a scrap!
In case you are wondering how these novels relate to Robin, it is because Robin’s mother, Sheila, put them together. Robin’s life and footballing history are tracked.
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