By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
The English Football League (EFL) has given the owner of Reading FC, Dai Yongge, a Chinese businessman, the following ultimatum: either fund the club adequately or make immediate arrangements to sell the club!
The EFL added that the owner, was no longer in a position, or does not have the motivation, to support the club financially.
He has been fined by the EFL £50,000 for failing to fund a deposit account to cover the salaries of the players and the staff.
The EFL added that the club’s staff have “no reassurance of being paid” and, as such, this “demonstrates a clear disregard for his obligations as a director” of the club.
Also, a winding up order has been served by HMRC (the Tax Authority) on the club in October of last year in respect of unpaid taxes.
The club is in fourth place from the bottom in League One of the EFL and the club’s match against Port Vale on 13 January 2024 was abandoned, following an invasion of the pitch by about 1,000 Reading fans protesting against the owner of the club.
Not a very happy state of affairs!
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘