CONFIMRED - The final countdown

[Brogue]

Latest on Couhig from the Chronic

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news ... g-rumours/

As this is behind the chronicle’s paywall a quick tip if you copy and paste the link and open a private browsing session (incognito) you can bypass the paywall

[Mr Angry]

This morning, SSN had a short article on the Women's Championship focused on Reading.

It stated that officials are worried that, after the FA rejected the latest proposal to buy Reading, (my emphasis) the women's team were under threat of being automatically relegated to Tier 4, with only 2 players currently under contract and no plans to extend contracts of players.

What do SSN mean about a rejection of the latest proposal to buy Reading FC?

[Brogue]

This morning, SSN had a short article on the Women's Championship focused on Reading.

It stated that officials are worried that, after the FA rejected the latest proposal to buy Reading, (my emphasis) the women's team were under threat of being automatically relegated to Tier 4, with only 2 players currently under contract and no plans to extend contracts of players.

What do SSN mean about a rejection of the latest proposal to buy Reading FC?

I wouldn’t read to much into that SSN are fcuking shit

[Sutekh]

This morning, SSN had a short article on the Women's Championship focused on Reading.

It stated that officials are worried that, after the FA rejected the latest proposal to buy Reading, (my emphasis) the women's team were under threat of being automatically relegated to Tier 4, with only 2 players currently under contract and no plans to extend contracts of players.

What do SSN mean about a rejection of the latest proposal to buy Reading FC?

Think it's more to do with being able to demonstrate the women's team is "roadworthy" for next season. The FA manage the WSL divisions and want proof of sustainability and finances etc., which probably is a bit difficult when the club is "between owners" and would imagine the club's priorities are not going to be the women's team during negotiations.

[Stranded]

Anybody with access to Google knows are running costs are high for a L1 club. Are these buyers surprised to discover it?

Though the bigger problem seems to be Dai's asking price - perhaps it would be fair if the club was financially stable, but given it's running up losses it's clearly too high.

We'll have two bigger costs than a typical League One club - the stadium and the academy.

The stadium maintenance will be a fairly fixed cost and will probably be offset by ticket sales.

Having a Category One academy in League One is probably the biggest factor as to why we're needing external funding. Of course, it does also mean we don't have to buy as many players and may be able to sell players for higher fees than a typical League One club. However, the operating costs are probably too great whilst we're in League One.

Very much this. As you say the stadium will be a big cost that we can't really do too much about esp as our average attendance doesn't even really allow for a stand to be mothballed for a period to cut some costs. The Academy and the Womens Team are both unfortunately areas that the club is spending on that will put us well above other clubs at our current level.

As horrible as downgrading the Womens side is, if the money saved there helps keep the club afloat then is should be downsized or closed for a period - after all, if there is no mens side, there is no club and as a result no womens team anyway.

The Academy could pay for itself if we are able to sell talent from it regularly at high prices with sell on fees - but shifting down a level or even moving to a B Team model may be more cost effective at this time. We can always apply for Cat 1 again if and when we are established in the Champ again.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Anybody with access to Google knows are running costs are high for a L1 club. Are these buyers surprised to discover it?

Though the bigger problem seems to be Dai's asking price - perhaps it would be fair if the club was financially stable, but given it's running up losses it's clearly too high.

We'll have two bigger costs than a typical League One club - the stadium and the academy.

The stadium maintenance will be a fairly fixed cost and will probably be offset by ticket sales.

Having a Category One academy in League One is probably the biggest factor as to why we're needing external funding. Of course, it does also mean we don't have to buy as many players and may be able to sell players for higher fees than a typical League One club. However, the operating costs are probably too great whilst we're in League One.

Back to my original points - are potential buyers morons who only discover this months down the line? What you describe is well known. How many "Reading FC shitshow" articles have been published in the last 18 months?

[Snowflake Royal]

Anybody with access to Google knows are running costs are high for a L1 club. Are these buyers surprised to discover it?

Though the bigger problem seems to be Dai's asking price - perhaps it would be fair if the club was financially stable, but given it's running up losses it's clearly too high.

We'll have two bigger costs than a typical League One club - the stadium and the academy.

The stadium maintenance will be a fairly fixed cost and will probably be offset by ticket sales.

Having a Category One academy in League One is probably the biggest factor as to why we're needing external funding. Of course, it does also mean we don't have to buy as many players and may be able to sell players for higher fees than a typical League One club. However, the operating costs are probably too great whilst we're in League One.

Back to my original points - are potential buyers morons who only discover this months down the line? What you describe is well known. How many "Reading FC shitshow" articles have been published in the last 18 months?

How many owners across the divisions who come in and even after all the due dilligence have no understanding of how much a club costs.

It's a lot.

[Brogue]

Anybody with access to Google knows are running costs are high for a L1 club. Are these buyers surprised to discover it?

Though the bigger problem seems to be Dai's asking price - perhaps it would be fair if the club was financially stable, but given it's running up losses it's clearly too high.

We'll have two bigger costs than a typical League One club - the stadium and the academy.

The stadium maintenance will be a fairly fixed cost and will probably be offset by ticket sales.

Having a Category One academy in League One is probably the biggest factor as to why we're needing external funding. Of course, it does also mean we don't have to buy as many players and may be able to sell players for higher fees than a typical League One club. However, the operating costs are probably too great whilst we're in League One.

Back to my original points - are potential buyers morons who only discover this months down the line? What you describe is well known. How many "Reading FC shitshow" articles have been published in the last 18 months?

Not sure I buy into cat one academy is sustainable in the champ but not league one. Why is the operating costs too much in league 1 compared to championship? What revenue are we missing out on being a division below? We signed our long term sponsorship deal with scl whilst in the champ. Ticket prices increased last season, and we had a higher average attendance. Genuine question, what are we missing out on? What’s the difference between championship prize money and league one, and what is the difference in TV rights between champ and league one. As they seem to be the only two things that could be different.

[Snowflake Royal]

We'll have two bigger costs than a typical League One club - the stadium and the academy.

The stadium maintenance will be a fairly fixed cost and will probably be offset by ticket sales.

Having a Category One academy in League One is probably the biggest factor as to why we're needing external funding. Of course, it does also mean we don't have to buy as many players and may be able to sell players for higher fees than a typical League One club. However, the operating costs are probably too great whilst we're in League One.

Back to my original points - are potential buyers morons who only discover this months down the line? What you describe is well known. How many "Reading FC shitshow" articles have been published in the last 18 months?

Why is the operating costs too much in league 1 compared to championship? What revenue are we missing out on being a division below? We signed our long term sponsorship deal with scl whilst in the champ. Ticket prices increased last season, and we had a higher average attendance. Genuine question, what are we missing out on? What’s the difference between championship prize money and league one, and what is the difference in TV rights between champ and league one. As they seem to be the only two things that could be different.

TV money is vastly different for a start.

Income in the Championship is roughly £14m - £16m a season. In L1 we haven't seen the accounts yet, but somewhere between £8m and £10m seems about right. A Cat 1 academy costs about £2m a year.

There's a reason only us and Derby had one in L1, iland it's because we didn't immediately downgrade on relegation in the hopesof bouncing back.

[Stranded]

Back to my original points - are potential buyers morons who only discover this months down the line? What you describe is well known. How many "Reading FC shitshow" articles have been published in the last 18 months?

Why is the operating costs too much in league 1 compared to championship? What revenue are we missing out on being a division below? We signed our long term sponsorship deal with scl whilst in the champ. Ticket prices increased last season, and we had a higher average attendance. Genuine question, what are we missing out on? What’s the difference between championship prize money and league one, and what is the difference in TV rights between champ and league one. As they seem to be the only two things that could be different.

TV money is vastly different for a start.

Income in the Championship is roughly £14m - £16m a season. In L1 we haven't seen the accounts yet, but somewhere between £8m and £10m seems about right. A Cat 1 academy costs about £2m a year.

There's a reason only us and Derby had one in L1, iland it's because we didn't immediately downgrade on relegation in the hopesof bouncing back.

There is also the new TV deal kicking in which brings in even more money to the Champ in comparison to L1. Cat 1 categories were always set up to be expensive as they were really meant to be for PL clubs and top Champ clubs to have so that they could concentrate all the top talent in 20 or so academies.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

This feels like it is all going the way of last season; the owner is obviously being unrealistic in his expectations and it seems unlikely this will be fully resolved by August.

So no players will be signed, we will also be under threat of further points deductions given there is limited income for wages & tax.

Players may have to be sold resulting in Selles walking and the best case scenario at this stage looks to be another season of struggle.

[tmesis]

Back to my original points - are potential buyers morons who only discover this months down the line? What you describe is well known. How many "Reading FC shitshow" articles have been published in the last 18 months?

Why is the operating costs too much in league 1 compared to championship? What revenue are we missing out on being a division below? We signed our long term sponsorship deal with scl whilst in the champ. Ticket prices increased last season, and we had a higher average attendance. Genuine question, what are we missing out on? What’s the difference between championship prize money and league one, and what is the difference in TV rights between champ and league one. As they seem to be the only two things that could be different.

TV money is vastly different for a start.

Income in the Championship is roughly £14m - £16m a season. In L1 we haven't seen the accounts yet, but somewhere between £8m and £10m seems about right. A Cat 1 academy costs about £2m a year.

There's a reason only us and Derby had one in L1, iland it's because we didn't immediately downgrade on relegation in the hopesof bouncing back.

I'm sure I've seen stuff implying a Category 1 academy is closer to £5 million a year in total.

[blythspartan]

This feels like it is all going the way of last season; the owner is obviously being unrealistic in his expectations and it seems unlikely this will be fully resolved by August.

So no players will be signed, we will also be under threat of further points deductions given there is limited income for wages & tax.

Players may have to be sold resulting in Selles walking and the best case scenario at this stage looks to be another season of struggle.

Yep agree - rinse repeat of last season.

I can honestly see us being in the same position next year too. I am convinced that in Dai’s make believe world he gets us back into the Championship and then sells us for a profit. I wish the likes of NH would stop insulting our intelligence with the same meaningless updates. I would just rather some honesty and transparency.

[andrew1957]

I agree with the posts above. Supporting Reading FC right now feels like looking after a loved relative who is slowly wasting away over many months with a horrible cancer. Dai is that cancer and I still wonder in the end if he would rather destroy the club than sell it.

Things look bleak. I can see the academy and women's team ending and wonder if there will be anything left of this hollowed out shell of what used to be RFC left to support. If there is no progress on the sale soon, then Selles and all the better players would be mad to hang around for another season of chaos ahead.

[WestYorksRoyal]

This feels like it is all going the way of last season; the owner is obviously being unrealistic in his expectations and it seems unlikely this will be fully resolved by August.

So no players will be signed, we will also be under threat of further points deductions given there is limited income for wages & tax.

Players may have to be sold resulting in Selles walking and the best case scenario at this stage looks to be another season of struggle.

Yep agree - rinse repeat of last season.

I can honestly see us being in the same position next year too. I am convinced that in Dai’s make believe world he gets us back into the Championship and then sells us for a profit. I wish the likes of NH would stop insulting our intelligence with the same meaningless updates. I would just rather some honesty and transparency.

Do Chiron's loans at least make the worst case scenario less likely? If Dai doesn't manage to get his unrealistic price and ends up defaulting on the loan, Chiron get it for peanuts, and could do some budget cutting to sell it on at a fair price.

[morganb]

This feels like it is all going the way of last season; the owner is obviously being unrealistic in his expectations and it seems unlikely this will be fully resolved by August.

So no players will be signed, we will also be under threat of further points deductions given there is limited income for wages & tax.

Players may have to be sold resulting in Selles walking and the best case scenario at this stage looks to be another season of struggle.

Yep agree - rinse repeat of last season.

I can honestly see us being in the same position next year too. I am convinced that in Dai’s make believe world he gets us back into the Championship and then sells us for a profit. I wish the likes of NH would stop insulting our intelligence with the same meaningless updates. I would just rather some honesty and transparency.

Do Chiron's loans at least make the worst case scenario less likely? If Dai doesn't manage to get his unrealistic price and ends up defaulting on the loan, Chiron get it for peanuts, and could do some budget cutting to sell it on at a fair price.

Also, if this did happen, what would then happen if Chiron don't pass the EFL tests?

[blythspartan]

This feels like it is all going the way of last season; the owner is obviously being unrealistic in his expectations and it seems unlikely this will be fully resolved by August.

So no players will be signed, we will also be under threat of further points deductions given there is limited income for wages & tax.

Players may have to be sold resulting in Selles walking and the best case scenario at this stage looks to be another season of struggle.

Yep agree - rinse repeat of last season.

I can honestly see us being in the same position next year too. I am convinced that in Dai’s make believe world he gets us back into the Championship and then sells us for a profit. I wish the likes of NH would stop insulting our intelligence with the same meaningless updates. I would just rather some honesty and transparency.

Do Chiron's loans at least make the worst case scenario less likely? If Dai doesn't manage to get his unrealistic price and ends up defaulting on the loan, Chiron get it for peanuts, and could do some budget cutting to sell it on at a fair price.

I suspect Dai or his sister can pay back Chiron if push comes to shove.

[Snowflake Royal]

Why is the operating costs too much in league 1 compared to championship? What revenue are we missing out on being a division below? We signed our long term sponsorship deal with scl whilst in the champ. Ticket prices increased last season, and we had a higher average attendance. Genuine question, what are we missing out on? What’s the difference between championship prize money and league one, and what is the difference in TV rights between champ and league one. As they seem to be the only two things that could be different.

TV money is vastly different for a start.

Income in the Championship is roughly £14m - £16m a season. In L1 we haven't seen the accounts yet, but somewhere between £8m and £10m seems about right. A Cat 1 academy costs about £2m a year.

There's a reason only us and Derby had one in L1, iland it's because we didn't immediately downgrade on relegation in the hopesof bouncing back.

I'm sure I've seen stuff implying a Category 1 academy is closer to £5 million a year in total.

Me too, but not from anything or one reliable, and that's a ludicrous figure for even a top Championship club to afford.

[Snowflake Royal]

I agree with the posts above. Supporting Reading FC right now feels like looking after a loved relative who is slowly wasting away over many months with a horrible cancer. Dai is that cancer and I still wonder in the end if he would rather destroy the club than sell it.

Things look bleak. I can see the academy and women's team ending and wonder if there will be anything left of this hollowed out shell of what used to be RFC left to support. If there is no progress on the sale soon, then Selles and all the better players would be mad to hang around for another season of chaos ahead.

Maybe you should just pray harder and send the club some alternative medicine.

[Sutekh]

Currently it seems we're all back at square 1 with anyone interested talking to Dai. No nearer, nor any clue whether the idiot even wants to sell the mess as he can't seem to agree a price, or accept the amount of money he'll get will decrease, as these groups seem to have to pay the club wages and tax as part of the negotiations. Shame you can't force people like this to accept a proposed deal. This time next month we'll all still be waiting and quite probably a few months into the season too, are SBWD going to be returning to the tennis balls and getting games abandoned if that's is where we are in September? Always fancied a league trip to Bromley - if we still have a club.