By Steve Prince, Club Chaplain

Just how gutting was it when Danny Murphy headed in Fulham's goal at Fratton Park on Sunday afternoon? Suddenly the euphoria evaporated and deep sadness hits hard in the hearts and minds of all Royals fans. In our despair, all manner of reactions are expressed through our local media and finally I have to send a text. "It's a very sad day for the Royals but let's remember and be grateful to John Madejski for many years of great success. We can regroup and with a manager like Steve Coppell rebuild."

As a football community we must share in our sadness and grief and letting go of disappointment and anger. As we cast our views and opinions we do well to remember that one of the best routes to future success is simply being grateful and thankful for what we have experienced. Of course we'd much prefer to be playing in the Premier League again next season and confounding those pundits who at least now will stop predicting our demise.

Defeat can inspire future victory. Lessons can be learned and helpful practices and priorities can be adopted that will contribute to more success. I believe we as fans have a major contribution to make in building a successful future on the platform that is already established. We have an infrastructure to be proud of at both the Madejski and the training ground at Hogwood Park. It must be possible for the so called 'smaller teams' to grow in stature and influence. As Steve Coppell has said, we did bring something special to the Premier League.

Football can be a fickle business. Players and staff come and go. I may not see some of the guys that I have spent time building a degree of relationship with as they make their decisions about the future. We, the fans remain and provide massive continuity with the future. Wouldn't it be something to raise the level of support and volume right from the first game in the Championship and to refuse to lie in the doldrums? Short memory syndrome can obscure the fact that we have just been through the very best of times in our club's history - a history that can still go from strength to strength.

Part of my role as club chaplain is to 'just be around' for people. Life issues affect us all - the highs and lows, it's good to talk about both. Some of life's most lonely people are our heroes, those in the eye of the media. I experience listening to all manner of human emotion and much of it comes with the baggage caused by the events people have been through.

Yes, there are bigger issues going on around the globe and they do help us to find a degree of healthy perspective. Once again this should cause us to be grateful - whilst not minimising our current sadness. Come on URZ!