Fans of Reading FC and Wrexham AFC will stage a protest during the match between the two teams tomorrow night (11 March, 8pm kick-off) to draw attention to the ongoing ownership crisis that has left Reading in turmoil.
Organised by campaign group Sell Before We Dai, the protest will highlight the mismanagement of the club by current owners Dai Yongge and Dai Xi Liu, as well as the urgent need for wider change to protect all clubs in the football pyramid.
Protest details
Pre-match demonstration – Fans from both teams will gather outside the stadium holding a banner that reads: “We’re tired of villains. Football clubs deserve heroes.” Some will wear Deadpool costumes, linking to Ryan Reynolds’ famous role.
The pre-match photo will take place between 7:20pm-7:35pm near the Fanzone (Sir John Madejski Stand). Any journalists/photographers are welcome to come along and take pictures.
In-stadium protest – At the 18th minute (Reading have had 18 points deducted under Dai Yongge), fans will display two key banners:
“We’re tired of villains. Football clubs deserve heroes.”
“No community should lose their club.”
A club in crisis
Since the Dai siblings took over Reading in May 2017, the club has suffered a dramatic decline:
From being on the brink of the Premier League to being relegated to League One
Points deductions, winding-up petitions and transfer embargoes due to financial mismanagement; failure to pay wages on time and in full; and 2022/23 accounts being overdue to HMRC by eight months
Only five senior players are contracted beyond June 2025, raising serious concerns about squad stability
The defunding of Reading FC Women, forcing them from the Championship (second tier) W to part-time football in the fifth tier
An attempt to sell the Bearwood Park training ground to Wycombe Wanderers in March 2024 – a move prevented only by fan intervention and local council support
Ongoing failure to sell the club, despite public claims it has been on the market for over 500 days and multiple potential buyers being unsuccessful
The Dai siblings have also overseen the demise of Beijing Chengfeng and KSV Roeselare, both of which no longer exist
Parallels with Wrexham: A Tale of Two Clubs
Tuesday’s match against Wrexham is a stark contrast between two clubs on very different trajectories. Wrexham, once on the brink of collapse, have been revitalised by owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who have invested in both the team and the community. Meanwhile, Reading fans are fighting to save their club from ceasing to exist.
Petition
Sell Before We Dai has been actively working with local MP Yuan Yang to petition for a parliamentary inquiry into Reading FC’s absentee owners. The petition can be found here: bit.ly/rfc-petition
