Robin Friday

Robin Friday

Friday, photographed at Elm Park, Reading in 1974
Personal information
Date of birth	(1952-07-27)27 July 1952
Place of birth	Acton, London, England
Date of death	22 December 1990(1990-12-22) (aged 38)
Place of death	Acton, London, England
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position	Forward
Youth career
1965	Crystal Palace
1965–1966	Queens Park Rangers
1966–1967	Chelsea
1968–1969	Reading
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1971	Walthamstow Avenue
1971–1973	Hayes
1973	Enfield
1973–1974	Hayes
1974–1976	Reading	121	(46)
1976–1977	Cardiff City	21	(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Robin Friday (27 July 1952 – 22 December 1990) was an English footballer who played professionally as a forward for Reading and Cardiff City during a career that lasted four years in the mid-1970s. His on-field performances were regarded as excellent, and he won Reading's player of the year award in both of his full seasons there, as well as being the leading goal scorer. However, his habit of unsettling opponents through physical intimidation contributed to a heavily tarnished disciplinary record, and his personal life was one of heavy smoking, drinking, womanising and drug abuse. Despite his short career, he remains prominent in the memory of Reading and Cardiff supporters, both as a player and a personality. He has been voted Reading's best ever player three times.

Born and raised in Acton, west London, Friday was scouted, but not retained, by four professional clubs during his teenage years. He appeared for local semi-professional sides in the Isthmian League until he joined Charlie Hurley's Fourth Division Reading team in 1974—quickly becoming a key player, he helped Reading to win promotion to the Third Division during the 1975–76 season. As his drug habit intensified, Friday's form began to dip in the first half of the 1976–77 season, leading Reading to sell him to Second Division side Cardiff City around the New Year. Friday travelled to join his new team by train without a valid ticket and had to be bailed by the Cardiff manager Jimmy Andrews before he signed for the club. He performed strongly on his debut, but afterwards his form declined and his personal life caused him to repeatedly miss matches altogether. Following a number of incidents, on and off the field—including kicking Mark Lawrenson in the face mid-game—Friday retired from football in December 1977, aged 25. He died in Acton in 1990, aged 38, after suffering a heart attack.