‘The club is on life support… he’s killing us’, say angry Reading fans as owner SELLS training ground to EFL rivals
ANGRY READING supporters have claimed that the club is “on life support” and that their owner is “killing” the club amid the latest controversy.
The League One club, who were relegated from the Championship last season, have lurched from one crisis to another under Dai Yongge.
The Royals were initially docked a point in August for breaching EFL regulations, with a further three suspended.
The following month they triggered their extra three-point deduction, after failing to deposit 125 per cent of their monthly wage bill into an account by a date agreed to by the EFL.
They then received their third points deduction of the season last month after they were docked an extra two points to take the total to six.
During 2023, the Royals were late paying HMRC for over 100 days, with EFL rules prohibiting more than 80 and that has led to regular protests from supporters demanding that Yongge sell the club.
However, this week reports emerged that the controversial Chinese businessman had agreed to flog something else instead – Reading’s Bearwood Park training ground to League One rivals Wycombe Wanderers.
And that has further infuriated fed-up fans as Caroline Parker, a spokesperson for Sell Before We Dai spokesperson, said in an open letter from the group: “The news that Reading FC owner Dai Yongge, his sister and fellow owner Dai Xiu Li, and CEO Dayong Pang, are selling our training ground shows that they never intended to sell the club.
“They’re intent on only one thing – killing Reading FC – a club with a proud 152-year history. This club is now firmly on life support.
“But if Yongge, Xiu Li and Pang are killing the club, then Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig is an accomplice. He might not have pulled the trigger, but he’s helping the owners to hide the body.
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“Selling one of Reading’s key assets makes the club even less attractive to a new owner – and almost certainly scares off potential investors who were already having to contend with Yongge’s unpredictability, all while leaving more chaos for fans, players and staff to endure.
“But questions must be asked.
“To Yongge, Xiu Li and Pang – with a £1 million shortfall staring the club in the face, are they planning on using the funds to keep the club alive, or to run off with them to an off-shore tax haven, leaving Reading FC in an even more perilous situation?”
It added: “It’s time for action. We’re calling on all Reading fans to gather tomorrow night (Friday) at 6pm outside Adams Park for a peaceful protest – and we’d invite all Wycombe fans who don’t want their club to become known as the new MK Dons to stand with us – because football has an ownership problem.
“We know Reading fans are confused and worried. So are we. But one thing is clear: we will not give up in the fight for the future of our club.”