Reading FC fan, 90, urges team to 'pull their finger out'

Olga Skipper (pictured with former Royal Oliver Norwood) has been a fan of the club since 1946

A 90-year-old Reading fan has urged her team to "pull their finger out" to avoid relegation from the Championship.

Olga Skipper said she was "smitten" by the Berkshire club ever since going to watch her first match in 1946, when they thrashed Crystal Palace 10-2.

But she has been unimpressed by her side's recent form, which sees them languishing near the foot of the table.

Speaking to the BBC, she issued a rallying cry ahead of the Royals' crunch match with Luton at 20:00 BST.

"They need to be not so laid back," she said. "They certainly need to pull their finger out and get these points to survive."

Ms Skipper said she would tell the players to "stop arguing between yourselves and get on with it"

Reading were docked six points by the English Football League for breaching the terms of an agreed business plan in March and sacked manager Paul Ince last week after going eight games without a win.

Ms Skipper, who lives in Caversham, said it had been one of the trickiest times she could remember in all her years of being a supporter and feared it could be hard for the club to bounce straight back up if they were relegated to League One.

She said her highlights included the Royals' victory in 1988's Simod Cup final - the trophy created to increase competitive matches when English clubs were banned from European competition because of the Heysel stadium disaster.

Paul Ince was sacked by the club after a run of disappointing results

Ms Skipper also pinpointed the club's record-breaking 106-point haul in the 2005-06 Championship season and remembered club legends such as Robin Friday who terrorised opposition defences during the 1970s.

"But nowadays you never know what's going to happen next - nine times out of 10 they're losing when they should be winning," she said.

Asked what she would say to the squad in the changing room, she said: "Stop arguing between yourselves and get on with it, pull your finger out and do your best."