CONFIMRED - The final countdown

[tmesis]

Is there actually any evidence at all that this Platek bloke is even involved in negotiations to buy us?

I think if he wasn't he'd have denied it.

It would be incredibly weird to name someone as a potential buyer if they weren't looking to buy,

For who to name them? Because it's just the media and twitterati who have, no? And they said WilLOLiam StoROFLy was buying us for £50m.

Yes, but he claimed to be buying us.

Contrast that to the Gymshark guy, who denied the rumour fairly swiftly.

[mikey_1871]

The club aren't going to name him when he's in exclusivity are they?

Not sure what other 'evidence' is realistic beyond being named in the media.

[Royalwaster]

The club aren't going to name him when he's in exclusivity are they?

Not sure what other 'evidence' is realistic beyond being named in the media.

Flying to the MadStad with his own branded helicopter is pretty convincing ...

[Snowflake Royal]

I think if he wasn't he'd have denied it.

It would be incredibly weird to name someone as a potential buyer if they weren't looking to buy,

For who to name them? Because it's just the media and twitterati who have, no? And they said WilLOLiam StoROFLy was buying us for £50m.

Yes, but he claimed to be buying us.

Contrast that to the Gymshark guy, who denied the rumour fairly swiftly.

Edit, oh Storey. So people should just print and believe whatever anyone says?

Not denying something doesn't mean it's happening. The media will report any old shit for clicks and Twitter is worse

[JedMaxwell]

Yeah, John Gymshark very quickly put out a video saying he was a Villa fan and wasn't buying us, but wished us well nevertheless.

That Storey claimed he was buying us but I think it was just a publicity stunt, ironic as it was because no one has heard from him since.

[stealthpapes]

He went off and properly fucked up some orcs.

[traff]

Wonder if the Odious toad will sell the ground to the yellow scum next season?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... g7dx9nwz9o

[tmesis]

For who to name them? Because it's just the media and twitterati who have, no? And they said WilLOLiam StoROFLy was buying us for £50m.

Yes, but he claimed to be buying us.

Contrast that to the Gymshark guy, who denied the rumour fairly swiftly.

Edit, oh Storey. So people should just print and believe whatever anyone says?

Not denying something doesn't mean it's happening. The media will report any old shit for clicks and Twitter is worse

This guy isn't some publicity seeker, as he's said nothing.

As said, it would also be very weird for him to not deny it if there was no truth in it.

How far into negotiations he may be is much less clear, and there are a few red flags regarding involvement with other clubs, but we have actual newspapers reporting his interest, not just some randoms on twitter.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ncerns-efl

[Stranded]

Yes, but he claimed to be buying us.

Contrast that to the Gymshark guy, who denied the rumour fairly swiftly.

Edit, oh Storey. So people should just print and believe whatever anyone says?

Not denying something doesn't mean it's happening. The media will report any old shit for clicks and Twitter is worse

This guy isn't some publicity seeker, as he's said nothing.

As said, it would also be very weird for him to not deny it if there was no truth in it.

How far into negotiations he may be is much less clear, and there are a few red flags regarding involvement with other clubs, but we have actual newspapers reporting his interest, not just some randoms on twitter.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ncerns-efl

Even if it isn't Platek, the EFL have confirmed they have had a conversation with the individual in exclusivity, so someone exists.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... dApp_Other

[morganb]

Text from link above reads:

Reading crisis deepens after Rob Couhig rejects offer from owner Dai Yongge
Club has deadline of Saturday from EFL to agree sale
‘I want to see a legally binding document,’ says Couhig
Exclusive by Matt Hughes
Wed 2 Apr 2025 10.49 BST

Reading have had a potentially significant setback in their attempt to save the club by agreeing a sale this week, with Rob Couhig rejecting a proposal from the owner, Dai Yongge, to lift his security over the Select Car Leasing Stadium and training ground.

The Guardian has learned that Reading have sent a legal letter to Couhig offering to place some of the proceeds from the proposed sale to Robert Platek in a frozen escrow account pending the result of his high-court claim for £12m, which is scheduled for July.

Couhig is suing Reading for loss of opportunity after Dai withdrew from a sale agreement last summer, with a hearing at London’s commercial court last month confirming that his mortgages against the club’s property assets remain in place.

Reading’s offer is an urgent attempt to resolve the impasse before an EFL deadline of Saturday for the club to be sold, which is the result of their decision to disqualify Dai as a director in February. The EFL board will meet on Thursday to discuss next steps if a sale is not imminent, with options including suspending Reading and preventing them from playing, which would have major implications for the League One promotion race.

Couhig’s lawyers are understood to have replied to Reading with a rejection, which will increase fears that the club could be suspended and enter administration.

“I told my lawyers to respond with: ‘Come back when it’s real,’” Couhig said. “I have very little faith in them frankly. I had 25 documents signed. I spent over $1m on legal and transaction fees. I came to England for a week and the money was in my account, ready to go.

“There’s nothing to talk about until they come to me with a binding agreement. I want to see a legally binding document that’s signed by both seller and buyer. That’s when we’ll have an agreement.”

Couhig still has aspirations to buy Reading despite taking a combative approach to the negotiations, and is reluctant to hand the club to Platek, the co-head of the global credit at private equity firm BDT & MSD Partners. Couhig, the former Wycombe owner, claims that Reading have violated the terms of his purchase agreement by entering exclusive talks with Platek.

The EFL is extremely reluctant to suspend Reading, who despite the off-field turmoil are one point outside the League One playoff spots, but need evidence that the standoff can be resolved if it is to extend this week’s deadline.

Reading were approached for comment. The club said in a statement on 21 March: “Mr Dai remains committed to working with the EFL to sell the club and secure its long-term future.”

Surely the EFL will see that it is Couhig dicking about and delaying things rather than Dai not trying to sell this time?

[Esteban]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/apr/02/reading-rob-couhig-rejects-offer-dai-yongge?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

That's not very encouraging, but this issue was never going to have a quick fix. And to be fair to Couhig, anything coming out of Dai's camp needs to have a cast iron agreement signed and even then, you never know what will happen.

Couhig did say in his chat with Reading4Eva though, that his understanding is that the club cannot be put into administration or liquidated without his involvement, and he's not prepared to do that.

[Sanguine]

Check mate.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Looks fairly clear from this that Couhig wants the club regardless of what we are offering in escrow.

[Sanguine]

Probably a stupid question, or one that has been answered.

Notwithstanding that without a takeover going through the club doesn't last the summer - if we are 'suspended' by the EFL this week, are we removed from the league, or are our remaining fixtures treated as (3-0?) walkovers? Given we have enough points already to avoid relegation, do we in effect then have until next season's league is fully ratified to sort our shit out?

[WestYorksRoyal]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/apr/02/reading-rob-couhig-rejects-offer-dai-yongge?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

That's not very encouraging, but this issue was never going to have a quick fix. And to be fair to Couhig, anything coming out of Dai's camp needs to have a cast iron agreement signed and even then, you never know what will happen.

Couhig did say in his chat with Reading4Eva though, that his understanding is that the club cannot be put into administration or liquidated without his involvement, and he's not prepared to do that.

Which would be reassuring were it not for the threat of expulsion. If he could just wait for the money to run out and then seize the club that would be okay for me, except he'd be seizing a non league club.

[windermereROYAL]

Administration would very probably mean starting next season on -12 points. if we still have a team that is.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Administration would very probably mean starting next season on -12 points. if we still have a team that is.

That's fine. Bigger things at stake than a L1 relegation battle.

[blueroyals]

What a mess

From memory, Tim Dellor claimed last week he had been told by the club that the £12m was sitting in a bank account ready to go

This article claims the £12m doesnt exist yet, and would be proceeds of any eventual sale

So are the club asking RC to give up his securities now and the club (Dai) pinky promises to put £12m in the bank in the future when (if) a sale ever takes place?

If thats the case then I don't blame RC for rejecting it

Is rejected even the right word? If what I wrote above is true there is nothing to “accept” it’s just made up fantasy money

[Silver Fox]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/apr/02/reading-rob-couhig-rejects-offer-dai-yongge?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Not exactly acting like someone who claims to have no interest in blocking the sale is he?

FWIW, unlike most posters on here I don't understand the legalities but can't we just sell the club and put 6 million quid of the proceeds in escrow? The judge didn't even say we had to do that did he? I don't understand why Couhig gets to say (through his media chum) what we can and can't do