spectacular header: "Diving full length barely a foot off the ground, Friday risked life and limb to head home a truly memorable goal", wrote the Evening Post match reporter. "True to form, he had to spoil things for himself by getting booked three minutes later". This victory marked the beginning of a run of six wins out of seven games, after which the side was once again challenging for promotion to the third tier, hovering between sixth and eighth place for the rest of the season. By 11 April promotion looked improbable, but Friday was still overjoyed after scoring the last-minute winner in Reading's 2–1 victory over Rochdale. In celebration he ran behind the net and kissed a policeman. "The policeman looked so cold and fed up standing there", explained the Reading forward, publicly, "that I decided to cheer him up a bit." In the dressing room after the game he said, privately, that he wished he hadn't done it "because I hate coppers so much". Reading eventually finished the 1974–75 season in seventh place, five points behind the promoted teams. Friday was the club's top scorer for the season, with 18 league goals and 20 overall, and was voted its player of the year. 1975–76 Friday's fine form continued into the 1975–76 season; after their 4–2 victory over Hartlepool United on 23 September 1975, Reading were top of the Fourth Division having just won four games in a row. Friday, meanwhile, was the club's top scorer. The next game was against AFC Bournemouth on the 27th, and although Reading won 2–1 Friday was sent off after 79 minutes. By this time the forward was overwhelmingly popular among Reading's fans, to whom he endeared himself by performing a lap of honour after each goal he scored. A month later, after two wins, two defeats and a draw during October, the team was fourth in the table. Friday was arrested after the evening match away at Newport County on 20 October, accused of using obscene language outside a Newport nightclub. At his appearance before magistrates in Newport on 17 November, he pleaded not guilty, representing himself, and was acquitted. Performing strongly for Reading and scoring regularly, he began to attract serious interest from other clubs. "Friday is, of course, much more than Reading's top scorer and best striker", wrote the Evening Post on 3 November 1975. "He is the most vital