Reading Football Club are set for what will be a crucial couple of weeks in the club’s future with the takeover situation coming to a head.
On the field, the Royals are enjoying a remarkable season despite the challenges and limitations they are working under as Noel Hunt’s side currently sit in the League One play-off places with just eight games to go.
However, the off field debacle has continued to plague the club for several years under troublesome owner Dai Yongge.
It’s now been well over 500 days since Dai Yongge officially put the club up for sale and the next two weeks are set to be some of the most crucial in the club’s history.
Dai was disqualified by the English Football League (EFL) and given a deadline of April 5 to divest his shares in the club.
Reading asked for an extension on the 28 day period in which his shares needed to be divested, which was granted and will run out on April 5.
It is expected that the club will release some communication later this week to update fans on the takeover process having confirmed last week that they are still in a period of exclusivity with a prospective buyer, believed to be American businessman Robert Platek.
It had been reported previously that the club could face expulsion from the football league, however it appears that this fate is unlikely.
The EFL are due to meet later this week in a monthly board meeting where they will discuss the future of Reading FC.
Although the EFL does have the power to disqualify Reading from the football league if a sale is not completed by April 5, this is something that they are reluctant to do other than as a last resort.
Alternatively, it is more likely that Reading will be suspended from playing matches until the takeover situation is resolved, although a decision will depend on whether the EFL are satisfied if there has been enough progress made on the sale.
Meanwhile, the club are still in talks with former Wycombe Wanderers chairman Rob Couhig following last week’s court hearing.
Reading confirmed that they made a formal proposal for ‘alternative security’ to Mr Couhig’s legal representatives and hope that a resolution can be agreed quickly.
The agreement of this proposal is likely to be crucial to a sale of the club going ahead in the near future,
Although attentions again turn to the pitch for tonight’s trip to Blackpool, a game which will be vital in Reading’s hopes of making the top six, the stark reality of the unknown future of the club remains on the mind of everyone connected with Reading Football Club.
