' Junior Hoilett '
Mon Oct 04, 2021 9:23 am
'It was strange' Reading's Junior Hoilett reveals difficulty in leaving 'special' Cardiff City and the joke that came back to bite Mick McCarthy
The former Bluebirds fan favourite netted the only goal in Reading's 1-0 win over Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon
Out of respect, Hoilett did not celebrate and the City faithful inside the stadium respected that and showed their gratitude towards a player who was adored in the Welsh capital for so many years.
Monday 4th October 2021
Junior Hoilett has revealed how difficult it was to leave Cardiff City after netting Reading winner
Junior Hoilett has revealed it felt "bittersweet and strange" to score the winning goal against a club for whom he holds a special place in his heart.
Hoilett departed the Bluebirds this summer after almost five years, having been brought in on a free transfer by Neil Warnock back in the autumn of 2016.
He went on to achieve great things in the blue shirt and was almost unplayable during Cardiff's promotion season to the Premier League.
But it soon became clear earlier this year that he was not part of Mick McCarthy's plans this season. He featured in McCarthy's first game in charge, the 2-2 draw with Barnsley, and never played again.
However, he returned to his old stomping ground last weekend and scored the only goal in Reading's 1-0 win over the Bluebirds, which stretched Cardiff's losing streak to five in a row. It was a moment that Hoilett relished, given it was his first goal for his new club, but he admits there were mixed emotions.
JUNIOR HOILETT:
"It was strange," he said of the goal. "I had a great five years here and the club holds a special place in my heart. It always will do.
"To get my first Reading goal against Cardiff is a bittersweet moment but I just had to keep it professional and that’s what I did."
"I never wanted to leave Cardiff, but was let go,so thankfully another Championship club took me on."
Out of respect, Hoilett did not celebrate and the City faithful inside the stadium respected that and showed their gratitude towards a player who was adored in the Welsh capital for so many years.
JUNIOR HOILETT:
And Hoilett said that the feeling is mutual.
"It was hard to leave a club where I spent many great years," he added.
"I had a connection with the club and the fans and it was tough to leave, but that’s football.
"I’ve got a new club to represent and hopefully we can achieve great things together.
"It was nothing personal – just professional – and that’s the game of football. It was hard to leave but I’ve moved on and now it’s time for me to represent Reading."
He has done all he can to ingratiate himself with his new set of supporters just down the M4, anyway. It's seemingly nailed on that a former player will come back to bite you and that is exactly what Hoilett did on Saturday.
It ramped up the pressure on Mick McCarthy, whose side now sit 20th in the Championship table, however it is understood there is no panic yet from the Bluebirds board and they are set to back the manager.
It was a much-improved display against Reading from Cardiff, who had 25 shots on goal but saw none of them hit the back of the net. The Royals, by contrast, had only two shots and the only one on target flew into the back of the net.
MICK McCARTHY:
But, as McCarthy joked after the match, it was written in the stars that the player he let go this summer would come back to haunt him on Saturday.
"I kind of joked with people the other day, I said we are going to have to score two because Junior [will score]!" McCarthy said.
"It happens all the time, going back to their former club and scoring."
While there was of course some emotion involved for Hoilett, at the end of the day he understands that football is a business and there is little room for sentiment.
He came back to the Welsh capital to put his former side to the sword and that, unfortunately for McCarthy and the Cardiff fans who cheered the name of 'Super Junior Hoilett' for so long, is exactly what he did.
JUNIOR HOILETT:
"It was strange," Hoilett conceded. "Every time I play against one of my old teams it’s weird because you know everything about them and want to have a laugh with them but you have to try and keep it professional and do your job on the pitch.
"I enjoyed playing here today and I haven’t played in front of a crowd here for a while because of the pandemic. It was great to see bodies in the stadium again.
"It was a bittersweet moment for me but I tried to keep it professional. I got the job done."
The former Bluebirds fan favourite netted the only goal in Reading's 1-0 win over Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon
Out of respect, Hoilett did not celebrate and the City faithful inside the stadium respected that and showed their gratitude towards a player who was adored in the Welsh capital for so many years.
Monday 4th October 2021
Junior Hoilett has revealed how difficult it was to leave Cardiff City after netting Reading winner
Junior Hoilett has revealed it felt "bittersweet and strange" to score the winning goal against a club for whom he holds a special place in his heart.
Hoilett departed the Bluebirds this summer after almost five years, having been brought in on a free transfer by Neil Warnock back in the autumn of 2016.
He went on to achieve great things in the blue shirt and was almost unplayable during Cardiff's promotion season to the Premier League.
But it soon became clear earlier this year that he was not part of Mick McCarthy's plans this season. He featured in McCarthy's first game in charge, the 2-2 draw with Barnsley, and never played again.
However, he returned to his old stomping ground last weekend and scored the only goal in Reading's 1-0 win over the Bluebirds, which stretched Cardiff's losing streak to five in a row. It was a moment that Hoilett relished, given it was his first goal for his new club, but he admits there were mixed emotions.
JUNIOR HOILETT:
"It was strange," he said of the goal. "I had a great five years here and the club holds a special place in my heart. It always will do.
"To get my first Reading goal against Cardiff is a bittersweet moment but I just had to keep it professional and that’s what I did."
"I never wanted to leave Cardiff, but was let go,so thankfully another Championship club took me on."
Out of respect, Hoilett did not celebrate and the City faithful inside the stadium respected that and showed their gratitude towards a player who was adored in the Welsh capital for so many years.
JUNIOR HOILETT:
And Hoilett said that the feeling is mutual.
"It was hard to leave a club where I spent many great years," he added.
"I had a connection with the club and the fans and it was tough to leave, but that’s football.
"I’ve got a new club to represent and hopefully we can achieve great things together.
"It was nothing personal – just professional – and that’s the game of football. It was hard to leave but I’ve moved on and now it’s time for me to represent Reading."
He has done all he can to ingratiate himself with his new set of supporters just down the M4, anyway. It's seemingly nailed on that a former player will come back to bite you and that is exactly what Hoilett did on Saturday.
It ramped up the pressure on Mick McCarthy, whose side now sit 20th in the Championship table, however it is understood there is no panic yet from the Bluebirds board and they are set to back the manager.
It was a much-improved display against Reading from Cardiff, who had 25 shots on goal but saw none of them hit the back of the net. The Royals, by contrast, had only two shots and the only one on target flew into the back of the net.
MICK McCARTHY:
But, as McCarthy joked after the match, it was written in the stars that the player he let go this summer would come back to haunt him on Saturday.
"I kind of joked with people the other day, I said we are going to have to score two because Junior [will score]!" McCarthy said.
"It happens all the time, going back to their former club and scoring."
While there was of course some emotion involved for Hoilett, at the end of the day he understands that football is a business and there is little room for sentiment.
He came back to the Welsh capital to put his former side to the sword and that, unfortunately for McCarthy and the Cardiff fans who cheered the name of 'Super Junior Hoilett' for so long, is exactly what he did.
JUNIOR HOILETT:
"It was strange," Hoilett conceded. "Every time I play against one of my old teams it’s weird because you know everything about them and want to have a laugh with them but you have to try and keep it professional and do your job on the pitch.
"I enjoyed playing here today and I haven’t played in front of a crowd here for a while because of the pandemic. It was great to see bodies in the stadium again.
"It was a bittersweet moment for me but I tried to keep it professional. I got the job done."
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Re: ' Junior Hoilett '
Mon Oct 04, 2021 10:06 am
I can understand any player celebrating a goal against their old club or anyone else; sometimes it's more about how they do it...
What Junior did was classy and he deserved to appreciation of the Bluebird support
What Junior did was classy and he deserved to appreciation of the Bluebird support
Re: ' Junior Hoilett '
Mon Oct 04, 2021 3:18 pm
Sven wrote:I can understand any player celebrating a goal against their old club or anyone else; sometimes it's more about how they do it...
What Junior did was classy and he deserved to appreciation of the Bluebird support
And yet there some idiots around us who were booing him even before he scored.
Re: ' Junior Hoilett '
Mon Oct 04, 2021 4:46 pm
Said it on another thread. But y christ we could do with him now.
Re: ' Junior Hoilett '
Mon Oct 04, 2021 5:04 pm
JJ1927 wrote:Sven wrote:I can understand any player celebrating a goal against their old club or anyone else; sometimes it's more about how they do it...
What Junior did was classy and he deserved to appreciation of the Bluebird support
And yet there some idiots around us who were booing him even before he scored.
Sadly, the lack of football nouse amongst some inside our stadium is surreal and the comments we hear are incredulous in their ignorance
Junior did nothing to deserve booing
Re: ' Junior Hoilett '
Mon Oct 04, 2021 5:11 pm
Junior was nothing but quality for us and an excellent servant of our club, anyone who was booing him need to give their heads a wobble
Re: ' Junior Hoilett '
Mon Oct 04, 2021 6:13 pm
A top guy and a top player. Wish we still had him
Re: ' Junior Hoilett '
Mon Oct 04, 2021 6:32 pm
I clapped when he scored just wanted to show my appreciation when he scored he didn’t celebrated or rub our faces in it but he had the right to he served us well when he was a bluebird and was and still his one of my Cardiff city favourites wrong decision to get rid of him someone behind me said bollocks to him but I was having none of it
Re: ' Junior Hoilett '
Mon Oct 04, 2021 6:38 pm
cardiff 74 wrote:I clapped when he scored just wanted to show my appreciation when he scored he didn’t celebrated or rub our faces in it but he had the right to he served us well when he was a bluebird and was and still his one of my Cardiff city favourites wrong decision to get rid of him someone behind me said bollocks to him but I was having none of it
I did the exact same as I wanted to show my appreciation of his respectful reaction.