Thames Sports Investment

[Cripple Creek]

Christ on a bike I thought I had walked onto an episode of The Waltons reading this original post. Calm down dear, it's only a football club.

Oh, and:
" I love the fact that we have the moral high ground over Leicester and Portsmouth and all the other scumbags" - don't you suffer from altitude sickness occupying the moral ground?

[sandman]

Watch and learn Brendan Rodgers these guys know how to carry out a revolution.

[royalsteve]

Not even registered on Companies House - bet Bryan Robson is behind all this

its just a front name to hide identities of the investors - maybe they dont want the publicity - the real company will called something else

why does everyone assume they are russain - could be SJM or it could be the Chinese - Anelka has gone to a Chinese team and will earn a reputed £200K/week - drogba was offered 270k/week by the same club

China is where the money is

[seahawk10]

Fook the high ground, get us back to the Prem and into Europe!!!

[el_presidente]

I wouldn't get too carried away yet

In 2004, the media reported that Boris Zingarevich intended to acquire a large stake in English football club Everton. Upon the request of Zingarevich, that information was retracted. According to British media, the football club was really interesting to Zingarevich’s son Anton. He himself had no money to buy it, but he practiced abroad as a football manager. There is no information confirming the purchase plans. This episode is insignificant, but given that Boris Zingarevich studiously avoided the media spotlight, it looks interesting. Maybe it was advantageous for someone to put Zingarevich as a reckless spender and a wasteful man.

Source: "Kommersant» № 155 (2994) on 24.08.2004

[Cypry]

Had to chuckle at the thought that the only source relating to the Russian fella is The Daily Mail article and everyone's taking it as gospel......

Until there's more flesh on the ones of what SJM said I'm refusing to get too excited...

From what SJM said about continuing to run in the current prudent model, I suspect that whatever the deal is, it's unlikely to be anything like another Leicester. To be honest I'd be happiest if all it did was eliminate the need for the annual player sales to "fill the black hole", with some sensible and modest investment to strengthen where needed, and allow McD to not have to spend August to October rebuilding every year...

On current evidence that alone could give us a real chance at automatic promotion, without the need to spunk huge wads of cash on "trinkets"....

[TFF]

Had to chuckle at the thought that the only source relating to the Russian fella is The Daily Mail article and everyone's taking it as gospel......

I think you'll find that the vast majority of us are having a bit of fun with it.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

it,s a bit like when clubs need anew manager, same names are trotted out with no actual basis in fact

[Cypry]

Had to chuckle at the thought that the only source relating to the Russian fella is The Daily Mail article and everyone's taking it as gospel......

I think you'll find that the vast majority of us are having a bit of fun with it.

Incorrect use of "everyone" - should have read "some people"

[From Despair To Where?]

I'm cautiously optimistic about this but like many, have some concerns. If this allows us to compete financially for those 3 or 4 players a season that we should realistically be interested in, you know, the odd £750k bid here, the odd £1m there and a wage structure to match then all well and good.

If this leads us bidding silly money for players and offering silly money in wages, then there is something fundamentally wrong.

The reports of the aborted investment in Everton are quite telling though. Bill Kenwright is very much in the JM mould as a chairman and he seemed fairly convinced by the integrity of the proposal back in 2004. As i said, I'm cautiously optimistic that from what I've read, Madejski has been true to his word in trying to find someone to take the club forward in the correct manner.

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

I can hardly believe that I was commenting on a post two days ago saying "of course we are a selling club" and now this. I have to say I am worried by all this carry on folks. I worry for the structure, I worry for McDermott, I worry for the soul of the club, I am just not convinced Russian billionaires are what this club needs. What are we to them? A route to be accepted in British society?

I love this club, I love the fact that we have the moral high ground over Leicester and Portsmouth and all the other scumbags. Despite all the changes in the last 20 years and my indifference to SJM I have always felt that we are a community club and going to Watford away last week made me realise what it is to be a Reading fan, my 15 year old son and I had a great day out with genuine Reading fans even if the football wasn't that great.

Maybe I am getting old and pedantic, but I am not excited by this, I enjoyed an away win at Watford more than I enjoyed getting beaten 4-0 at home by Arsenal surrounded by the Berkshire middle classes in the Upper West who tutted at me when I showed passion for my side. I was born in Reading, I loved this club when Pat Earles and Martin Hicks were here, I loved this club when Gooding, Quinn and Gilkes took us to heights we had never experienced before and I loved this club when Coppell did the unthinkable, it was a momentous period for us all, all achieved in the right way and respected across the nation, a bit like what Swansea are doing now. Yeah, they beat us in the Play Off final, but what a great team, built on the right principles.

Now we are faced with this. I really hope the intentions are good and the club is going on to great things, but someone please tell me where the benefit is for a Russian Billionaire/Gangster to buy our club? How long is it before McDermott is not the right man? How long is it before this guy chucks this particular toy out of his pram? How long is it before the soul of this club is ripped out by a meglomaniac?

I want to be happy, but as someone who has followed this club from Darlington to Plymouth, I fear that someone who doesn't know what it is to be a Royal, is about to rip our club to bits.

I hope I am wrong!

Excuse my grammar, I am a bit p1ssed and emotional right now!

This. This is *exactly* how I feel. I like bumbling around the lower the divisions with the odd highlight thrown in and being (almost) solvent.

[sandman]

For the benefit of our new fearless leader I'd like to say that this person does not speak for us and I'm sure that you are not an Meglomaniacal Russian Gangster.











































































However, if you were offended by this dissenting voice for a certain amount of Roubles I'm sure we could get rid off him/her in a way that couldn't possibly be traced back to you.

[under the tin]

I also look back fondly on away days in my youth.

The BRS lorry spilling out drunken fans at Port Vale.
The Newport invasion
Cambridge away (Dave Crown)
Seeing Trevor Senior break the club scoring record at Hartlepool
Wearing a jean jacket, doc martens, and a scarf around each wrist.
Kirby scoring at Bournemouth

But that's the thing, Repressed. It's looking back. It's in the past.
Football has changed now, but some things never change.
Whoever is at the helm at the club will inevitably have detractors in some quarters, but the thing that never changes is that those in charge have the power, whilst the fans have none.
What will be will be.
Just try to enjoy the ride.

[Sarah Star]

Does it mean we can bring back Gylfi?

[Simon's Church]

Looking forward to finally seeing Robbie Fowler pull on the famous half hoops.

[Simon's Church]

helm

[marcusopp]

I am also concerned by this.
I'm sure as a Reading fan SJM will ensure any take over is in the best interest of the club, but i don't want anyone to rock the boat i guess.
If the current faces don't fit, then they'll be removed, i.e. allardyce at blackburn.
I love the way we develop players and coaches/ managers from within and need to dabble in the transfers less than other clubs (leicester, portsmouth).

ps, who the feck are thames sports investments anyway?

[John Peel]

Unless Sir JM is in serious financial difficulty then I cannot for one second imagine he would let someone take over that he wasn't pretty much 100% confident about. The guy has had the club in the shop window since 1995. Why now? If my first point isn't true then I can only see this as good news. I doubt we are talking Man City levels but I'm sure we'd be talking about a few million for make or break signings.

Someone said earlier, if you keep Reading's stability and you chuck in someone who has money then IMO we are looking at an opportunity to become an establish mid-to-low table Premiership club for the forseeable future (potentially!).

[The Reverend]

I hope AVB is happy managing our B team

[Badger Finger]

The big questions is though, can this new Russian young comrades missus' cook a steak properly?