Reading Football Club fans have had to endure a tumultuous last few years supporting their team. Dai Yongge and his minions will be the end of this club unless he is stopped.
Points deductions, late wage payments, financial shortages, court cases, key players and staff leaving have all become the norm in recent years.
The Dai’s have spearheaded a disastrous reign during their seven years of owning Reading FC. From spending frivolously during their first few years, and ultimately irresponsibly, in their hopes to try and fasttrack the club to the Premier League, the subsequent years have seen damage that could be irreparable for the future of the club.
The days of Premier League glory now seem a million miles away, while the jeopardy and anxiety of possibly not having a club to support weighs heavy on the mind of Reading fans. That’s the crushing reality of the situation we find ourselves in right now.
It’s been more than 500 days since Dai Yongge officially put the club up for sale. Since then, he has had the guile to bat away multiple offers, while his refusal to fund the club any further sees everyone who is connected suffer as the club fights desperately to find money to stay alive month on month.
Former Reading CEO, and now project properties manager, Nigel Howe was tasked by Dai Yongge to oversee the sale of the club.
Sir John Madejski’s right hand man during some of the best days this club has ever seen, a man the fans should be able to trust. However, his legacy at the club is being tarnished even more every passing day that a sale is not complete.
Back in September, myself and the rest of the local press pack finally got the opportunity to quiz Howe in an interview on everything regarding the takeover process.
I left that interview with a complete lack of faith that any takeover process would be finalised anytime soon. We’re now more than four months on since then and nothing has changed.
Howe has served an FA ban and is now back involved in the process, yet no progress seems to be on the horizon.
I truly believe that Nigel came into the interview completely unprepared for the barrage of tough questions that came his way. He seemed shocked at the nature of some of the questions – even deciding to defend some of Mr Dai’s actions instead of recognising the countless errors made during his ownership.
His answers left me largely frustrated. I was hoping to leave feeling some assurance, but quite honestly felt the opposite.
My message to Nigel Howe – PLEASE communicate as openly and honestly as possible with the fans. It’s the least they deserve after everything they’ve put up with.
I went into the start of the season optimistic about Reading’s chances of a progressive season under an excellent and highly intelligent manager with a young squad full of potential, however always feeling a sense of inevitability that he would either walk away or be poached by another club if the ownership situation wasn’t sorted.
With no money to even think about an outside appointment, Noel Hunt stepped up to the plate and is giving it his all while still learning on the job.
The players and playing staff have been continuously defiant despite every fight back, but there is only so far they can go while they have no financial backing.
There’s enough potential there with a few new additions to make a serious challenge for promotion. Under the ownership of Dai Yongge, that is simply not happening.
Something has to be done to ensure that this isn’t the end of Reading Football Club.
The EFL must act to preserve the future of Reading Football Club. They cannot sit back and let this football club die.
If the EFL has the power to disqualify Dai, they must do so.
There is already blood on the hands of Dai and all of his chronies. There will be blood on the hands of the EFL if Reading are not saved. We simply cannot let them kill Reading Football Club and everyone in a position of power must do their bit to save the future of the club.
