Wokingham MP Clive Jones and Earley & Woodley MP Yuan Yang both championed Reading FC in Parliament, supporting new legislation to prevent the type of ownership seen under Dai Yongge, that has bled Reading FC dry.
Wokingham Liberal Democrat MP, Clive Jones, highlighted the enduring nightmare that has faced Reading FC and its fans, being turned from a club with close links to the community and to fans, to a commodity that inaccessible owner Dai Yongge has “attempted to asset strip”.
Clive Jones spoke of his involvement in preventing the sale of Reading FC’s training ground, Bearwood Park, after working with campaign groups including “Sell Before We Dai” and fans like Sue Symes, to expose a key planning permission clause that meant the ground could only belong to Reading FC.
The Wokingham MP stated that a potential regulator must “learn from the lived lessons” of fans of all clubs affected by poor ownership have faced. Legislation must include provisions to hold owners accountable during their whole tenure, rather than just before purchase, and give reasonable protection to club’s assets.
After the debate, Wokingham MP Clive Jones, said:
“This debate was a crucial opportunity to highlight the tragedy that has befallen Reading FC and its fans, driving so many to campaign against Dai Yongge’s attempts to asset strip the club.
“The Government must get on with introducing new legalisation that will protect clubs from predatory and opportunistic ownership, which goes against the community-led spirit of the game.”
