ARTICLE: Casper lands Reading’s Conroy

[ClaretTony]

First signing for the first team in 1991

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/casper-lan ... ngs-conroy

[martin_p]

You can imagine the reaction to us signing a striker that had scored 7 in 80 over 3 seasons had internet messageboards existed in 1991.

[ClaretTony]

You can imagine the reaction to us signing a striker that had scored 7 in 80 over 3 seasons had internet messageboards existed in 1991.

I know, he had no goalscoring record at all and that to be fair continued in his career every time he was promoted from the bottom division although not to that extent.

[ElectroClaret]

Certainly did the business for us, 30 in 77.
Will always remember him for that great run down the wing and cross for SJF to score the winner at York.

[Ric_C]

Wasn't he a converted centre back? Or have I made that up?

[ClaretTony]

Certainly did the business for us, 30 in 77.
Will always remember him for that great run down the wing and cross for SJF to score the winner at York.

24 in 38 in Div 4 and 6 in 39 once promoted - similar at Preston and Fulham too.

[ClaretTony]

Wasn't he a converted centre back? Or have I made that up?

Reading had signed him as a centre forward but moved him into midfield because of his inability to score goals.

[martin_p]

24 in 38 in Div 4 and 6 in 39 once promoted - similar at Preston and Fulham too.

It’s odd isn’t it! I wonder what it was about his game that made him so good as a 4th Division striker but decidedly average in the 3rd? I never think there’s a great leap in quality between the 4th and the 3rd so it can’t be that surely?

[ClaretTony]

It’s odd isn’t it! I wonder what it was about his game that made him so good as a 4th Division striker but decidedly average in the 3rd? I never think there’s a great leap in quality between the 4th and the 3rd so it can’t be that surely?

I don't know but he was definitely effective for us in his first season

[Rowls]

Not impressed by this.

If we don’t get off to a good start I’ll be calling for Casper to go.

[Zom Zom]

Fabulous player for us in a long-time-coming good season.

Once promoted, as others have said, he lost his touch in front of goal and I'll never forget the look on his face when he netted (against Scarborough I think). It was as if the world had been lifted off his shoulders.

I have often felt it had something to do with no longer being partnered by Roger Eli, although my memory is fuzzy and I can't recall Eli's involvement in the 92-93 season. They were superb together.

[durhamclaret]

I’ll always remember Mike Conroy for his fence climbing antics after he scored.

[Silkyskills1]

It’s odd isn’t it! I wonder what it was about his game that made him so good as a 4th Division striker but decidedly average in the 3rd? I never think there’s a great leap in quality between the 4th and the 3rd so it can’t be that surely?

I used to think that but there was. A game that reminds me of this was early season away at Wigan. We scored a very late equaliser with a free kick from John Deary but before that we had been given a bit of a runaround by Wigan throughout the game.

[Selby Claret]

Not impressed by this.

If we don’t get off to a good start I’ll be calling for Casper to go.

Who would want to come to us though? I’m not keen on just promoting his assistant

[Culmclaret]

Great player in the buccaneering 91/92 side. Almost unplayable in some games at that level. You could also see he was having the time of his life and loving his football: I never tire of watching his celebration at Northampton. A really important contribution in getting our club moving in the right direction

[dsr]

My parents on holiday met a Reading fan shortly after this signing. The Reading man thought £35k was way overpriced. I think he said Conroy had been playing a left back for Reading in his last season.

[jrtod61]

Did we actually visit the USSR, pre-season? It would have been an interesting time over there, just a few weeks before the country ceased to exist.

[ClaretTony]

Did we actually visit the USSR, pre-season? It would have been an interesting time over there, just a few weeks before the country ceased to exist.

We did. Will be coming up in the next 2-3 weeks.

[Conroysleftfoot]

Wasn't one of his first goals for us against that lot down the road, pre season?

[ClaretTony]

Wasn't one of his first goals for us against that lot down the road, pre season?

Spoiler alert

[claretabroad]

I watched Canberra Cosmos v Eastern Pride when I was in Australia (both teams now sadly defunct). Conroy was on the bench and I might have run up to him wearing my Burnley shirt and started to sing our songs at him. The look on his face was priceless. Interestingly his description in the match programme had him magically become younger by 2 years.

[Clarets4me]

Turned out to be well worth the money, and what we could afford at the time ... to be fair to him he got into a lot of positions to miss chances as well, watch the 4-1 home win against Gillingham from the promotion season, he should have had six !

[djemba-djemba]

Had Deakin and Grewcock's departures been announced by this point?

[ClaretTony]

Yes - on 27th May

https://www.uptheclarets.com/four-playe ... sper-stays

[Dark Cloud]

The faithful may well have been totally underwhelmed when his signing was announced, but crikey, it turned out to be an inspired one and he as much as anyone kick started our roller coaster ride out of the football basement. Some great goals and also some absolutely vital goals. Mansfield away being one which strangely gets less air time than some of his others.

[Herts Clarets]

Had Deakin and Grewcock's departures been announced by this point?

Always liked Grewcock as a player. I don't think he ever fully recovered from the injury he picked up v Halifax in the SVT. Was it Fleming that crocked Neil?

[ClaretTony]

Always liked Grewcock as a player. I don't think he ever fully recovered from the injury he picked up v Halifax in the SVT. Was it Fleming that crocked Neil?

I don’t know who caused it but I don’t think he got close to full fitness after that.

[Peter Loo]

Yes Fleming a nasty piece of work.

[dougcollins]

My Reading supporting friend says Conroy played CB for them in a number of games.

[dsr]

Always liked Grewcock as a player. I don't think he ever fully recovered from the injury he picked up v Halifax in the SVT. Was it Fleming that crocked Neil?

I thought it was Dean Martin?

[tiger76]

Conroy was a great signing at that level, and I never realised we were linked to Warren Joyce that summer, of course we eventually signed him a couple of years later.

[ClaretTony]

Conroy was a great signing at that level, and I never realised we were linked to Warren Joyce that summer, of course we eventually signed him a couple of years later.

He stayed at Preston that summer and went to Plymouth a year later before joining us.

[djemba-djemba]

Conroy was a great signing at that level, and I never realised we were linked to Warren Joyce that summer, of course we eventually signed him a couple of years later.

Neither did I. Especially as he was captain for Preston (at least he was for that 5-1 Manx Cup game).
Wouldn't have thought he'd entertain the idea of dropping a level. Unless maybe he thought Preston's plastic pitch might be stifling his development as a player.