CONFIMRED - The final countdown

[Forbury Lion]

Once we are out of the running for playoffs we should definitely start going on the pitch again. Points deductions would be irrelevant.

As far as Blackburn goes. They made a 1.8 million pound profit on their last set of accounts. Never not paid a tax bill. No points deductions. Not broken P&S rules. They sit 6th in the championship. Average attendances have grown for the 9th year in succession. They have a cat 1 academy. Their CEO is English and been in place since 2018 who regularly puts out cons to the fans. So far this season according to transfer market they’ve spent £5 million on transfers in and made 14 million in transfer sales.
Revenue is up, turnover increased from £19.9m to £22.7m sponsorship up rising by £1m, ticket sales up by £0.4m and retail sales up by £0.2m. slight increase in wages from £25.8m to £26m but the wage to turnover ratio dropped from 130 per cent to 115 per cent which puts them
In 13th place for wage to turnover in the champ.


As far as I can see they are a well run club the only complaint being the owners don’t go to matches and they don’t spend beyond their means in the transfer market. I think every single Reading fan would bite their hand off to be in this situation. Comparing Blackburn’s situation to Readings is just daft.

The Blackburn owners pump alot of money into the club. The issues they have had recently related to the Indian government blocking firms from investing overseas, or possibly just their firm.

[blueroyals]

Once we are out of the running for playoffs we should definitely start going on the pitch again. Points deductions would be irrelevant.

As far as Blackburn goes. They made a 1.8 million pound profit on their last set of accounts. Never not paid a tax bill. No points deductions. Not broken P&S rules. They sit 6th in the championship. Average attendances have grown for the 9th year in succession. They have a cat 1 academy. Their CEO is English and been in place since 2018 who regularly puts out cons to the fans. So far this season according to transfer market they’ve spent £5 million on transfers in and made 14 million in transfer sales.
Revenue is up, turnover increased from £19.9m to £22.7m sponsorship up rising by £1m, ticket sales up by £0.4m and retail sales up by £0.2m. slight increase in wages from £25.8m to £26m but the wage to turnover ratio dropped from 130 per cent to 115 per cent which puts them
In 13th place for wage to turnover in the champ.


As far as I can see they are a well run club the only complaint being the owners don’t go to matches and they don’t spend beyond their means in the transfer market. I think every single Reading fan would bite their hand off to be in this situation. Comparing Blackburn’s situation to Readings is just daft.

This will be us in a few years though, no? Running on our own steam due to an absentee owner, wholly reliant on selling players for profit to balance the books. The only thing stopping us at the moment is the transfer embargo

[Sanguine]

A pitch invasion, as we know has no impact on anything. And another will achieve absolutely nothing.

So apart from the fact that we can, what benefit would it bring?

I only see negatives.

The pitch invasion and the slow protest are - the odd article excepted like last week's in the Guardian - the only times anyone has really taken much notice at all of our plight.

Like I said, I don't necessarily want another pitch invasion to happen. But any notion that greater powers are listening to, or particularly interested in, our troubles is hopeful nonsense.

The part of me that does want another pitch invasion, or nationally-covered protest is that, when the inevitable happens (or at least, it seems inevitable to me), I think I'd like to see us go down kicking and screaming and shouting. Leave a lasting impression of some sort that might, just might, have a wider impact for other clubs. 'Rage, rage against the dying of the light', and all that. As of now, if/when we disappear this summer, it will be like a fart in the wind.

[Snowflake Royal]

Our fan's are naive to think this situation can't go on forever. The Venky's at Blackburn haven't been seen or heard from for over a decade, after their fan protests in the early 2010s. They stumble on season after season through player sales.

From the Guardian last week:

Questions remain over the Rovers board and Venky’s, the club’s controversial owner, that has not had anyone at an Ewood Park game in more than a decade and remains under financial scrutiny in India with ongoing court battles

Sound familiar?

The difference is quite big. The Venkys had no idea how much a football club cost to run, talked big, then put in very little. But have comtinued to fund the club. They may not have put in the money the fans want, but they're still running things ok. There's been no real risk of administration or bills not being paid. In that time they've been solidly competitive in the Championship. One relegation they bounced straight back from a couple of bottom half finishes or three and mostly top half

Dai spent hundreds of millions on shit, running the club incredibly badly, then on relegation turned off the funding taps in a pique and we're left unable to make signings, pay fees and unsure if we can pay the staff and players if we don’t make millions of pounds of sales every transfer window.

We can't go on like this for even close to a decade, because sooner or later we can't find anyone to sell big and the house of cards collapse

[Snowflake Royal]

A pitch invasion, as we know has no impact on anything. And another will achieve absolutely nothing.

So apart from the fact that we can, what benefit would it bring?

I only see negatives.

The pitch invasion and the slow protest are - the odd article excepted like last week's in the Guardian - the only times anyone has really taken much notice at all of our plight.

Like I said, I don't necessarily want another pitch invasion to happen. But any notion that greater powers are listening to, or particularly interested in, our troubles is hopeful nonsense.

The part of me that does want another pitch invasion, or nationally-covered protest is that, when the inevitable happens (or at least, it seems inevitable to me), I think I'd like to see us go down kicking and screaming and shouting. Leave a lasting impression of some sort that might, just might, have a wider impact for other clubs. 'Rage, rage against the dying of the light', and all that. As of now, if/when we disappear this summer, it will be like a fart in the wind.

The fact is we are powerless.

We could do something drastic and get national coverage, but it changes nothing.

The only change to help us comes from Dai choosing to sell, or a regulator with actual power. There is no legal mechanism to act on media interest right now.

Even if we get a regulator, it'll have been emasculated by PL interests before birth, and likely too late for us.

I'm all up for going out screaming, but that's for when the club dies and we can't hurt its fortunes any further.

[6ft Kerplunk]

I'm all up for going out screaming, but that's for when the club dies and we can't hurt its fortunes any further.

So we're torching the stadium on the last day of the season then?

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm all up for going out screaming, but that's for when the club dies and we can't hurt its fortunes any further.

So we're torching the stadium on the last day of the season then?

If we can't have it, no one can.

[Snowflake Royal]

Then afterward, the PL headquarters, Chinese embassy and for the grand finale thr Palace of Westminster.

[East Grinstead Royal]

And Wembley, don’t forget that!

[Forbury Lion]

Maybe we need to be pushing for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, then as we saw when Russia invaded Ukraine, The British government will freeze/take all Chinese assets in this country and then sell them off.
Any Taiwanese Royals out there prepared to help out #clubbeforecountry ?

[Crusader Royal]

Maybe we need to be pushing for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, then as we saw when Russia invaded Ukraine, The British government will freeze/take all Chinese assets in this country and then sell them off.
Any Taiwanese Royals out there prepared to help out #clubbeforecountry ?

I think it’s Chinese Royals you need to be finding.
Wasn’t KiwiRoyal based there ?

[Elm Park Kid]

I'm hearing that there's been some 'developments' today. Should get something from the club soon.

[Hound]

I'm hearing that there's been some 'developments' today. Should get something from the club soon.

Positive developments?

[Elm Park Kid]

I'm hearing that there's been some 'developments' today. Should get something from the club soon.

Positive developments?

Yes, very.

[Elm Park Kid]

https://x.com/ReadingFC/status/1894062233447207003

[Hendo]

I'm hearing that there's been some 'developments' today. Should get something from the club soon.

[Hendo]

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2025/february/24/club-statement-letter-intent/

Reading Football Club can confirm it has committed to a letter of intent with a potential purchaser of the club.

The parties will now enter a period of exclusivity to complete final due diligence and legally complete the transaction. Whilst timelines cannot be guaranteed, the structure of the deal should allow for a quick completion, which would be for the benefit of all concerned.

Whilst we understand our supporters' wish to know the purchaser’s identity, at this stage, confidentiality is preferred to complete at the earliest opportunity.

The club can confirm the agreed sale includes the transfer of Mr Dai’s shareholding in The Reading Football Club Limited, as well as the Select Car Leasing Stadium and Bearwood Park Training Facility.

Further updates will be communicated once appropriate.

[Zammo]

This is the one. I can feel it in my bones.

[Pepe the Horseman]

The petition worked! Well done everyone x

[Brogue]

Huang's back on Twitter with

I understand an offer has been put to Dai for consideration this week. Don’t know who it is. But I understand it’s from a party that been interested for a while.

Backed up by Mark 'smudgerfc' Smith with

Got told last week party have put a bid in and a good bid also

https://x.com/HuangKad/status/188927955 ... Vz_UQ&s=19

Love him or hate him. He’s had a great couple of weeks