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Another casualty of Dai Yongge’s reign as Reading Women are withdrawn from league

Another casualty of Dai Yongge’s reign as Reading Women are withdrawn from their league in what is a dark day for the club.

They finished 10th in the Women’s Championship for the 2023/24 campaign, but have now been demoted to the 5th tier of the women’s pyramid with blood on the hands of Chinese billionaire Dai Yongge.

Concerns heightened in the last few weeks over the future of the team with a petition launched in the hope of trying to bring in potential buyers to rescue it.

But Reading Chronicle state that the deal collapsed in the final stages, missing a 5pm deadline on the 28th of June.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Reading Football Club can today confirm it has reluctantly withdrawn from the Barclays Women’s Championship for the 2024-25 season, with the Women’s First Team now moving to Tier 5 of the Women’s Football Pyramid.

To continue to operate at Barclays Women’s Championship level, the club requires further ownership cash injection to build a squad capable of competing and to meet the revised mandatory criteria ahead of the 2024-25 season. This would have included returning to a full-time training model as well as further investments in facilities and personnel.

Whilst these requirements are in-line with the exponential growth of the women’s game – it is widely accepted that a direct financial return on annual investment is not expected for at least five years. Unfortunately, given the current economic realities of the Club, the outlay required to reach these levels are just not possible without significant owner funding.

Club personnel, with support from The FA, have exhaustively explored every option, including external funding and new investment opportunities for Reading FC Women, which would allow the team to maintain their Barclays Women’s Championship status – with dialogue with various parties taking place. Despite best efforts, the complexities around separate ownership have meant operating Reading FC Women under a separate funding model has not been possible.

The club understand the demotion to Tier 5 will come as a huge disappointment for all connected with the club. This solution, however, does provide the club with the opportunity to continue to operate a Women’s Football department.

All departments within the club have seen costs cut considerably in recent years. Whilst the Club recognises and encourages the huge rise in popularity and commercialisation of the Women’s game, it unfortunately does not have guarantees of the required finances to increase investment in to Reading FC Women.

Reading has been amongst the elite of the Women’s game for many years. Competing admirably alongside the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United in previous seasons despite being one of the only clubs outside of the Premier League.

Furthermore, we’re proud of the role Reading FC Women has played in nurturing and developing the grassroots game, providing role models for young girls aspiring to become professional footballers and a pathway for those future stars to make a professional career within football. Proceeding in a lower division of the FA Women’s pyramid will allow Reading FC Women to possibly gain promotions back to the top divisions in the future – whilst also maintaining a vital grassroots pathway and opportunity for young women to continue their football aspirations through Reading FC Women.

The club and FA will continue to liaise with all individuals affected and are committed to supporting each person appropriately. It would also like to thank all players, staff, and supporters who performed admirably during the 2023-24 season – with the first team surviving relegation despite a season of challenges, and our U21s team winning a domestic league and cup double.

In due course, the club will provide a further update with more information regarding the upcoming 2024-25 campaign.

Dawn Airey, who is chair of the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship Board, said in a statement: “We are very disappointed that Reading FC Women have decided to withdraw from the Barclays Women’s Championship.

“We have been working closely with the club throughout the season and have made every effort to find a solution and to prevent this outcome.

“We are deeply saddened by the impact this will have on the Reading FC Women players, staff and fans, as they have all played a key role in women’s football and within their wider community.

“It was also very important to us to find a way to ensure that Reading FC Women could continue to participate in the Women’s Football Pyramid next season.

“Our priority now is to focus on supporting the current players and staff members at the club, including the Professional Game Academy, to ensure that they have every opportunity to continue to participate in the women’s game.”

Sky Sports News reporter James Green explained more on the situation: “Yeah, look, it’s a really sour day actually for women’s football in general, not just for everyone associated with Reading.

“The reason behind the decision is pure and simply financial aspects, they believe, and in the statement it says that financial return on annual investment won’t come for five years and they’re not willing to take that chance.

“Now, the statement is quite staggering in a way, because it reiterates the past, the success that reading football club have had in the women’s game.

“They’ve produced talents for the Lionesses, they’ve competed at the highest level. They only got relegated to the Championship season before last. They’ve been a top league club in the WSL.

“For this statement to come out and say they’re proud of that but then make this decision alongside it is staggering in my eyes, because it’s not a decision I believe they should be proud of.

“Now, what I understand is internally at the club, very little has been communicated to any staff members whatsoever.

“If we go back a year when they were relegated from WSL, just ten days after relegation, staff were made part time.

“So it came really immediately, without any warning whatsoever that that was the change that was going to make.

“Now, staff have been left in limbo all season long with rumours rumbling constantly.

“I know for a fact there’s many members of staff within that structure of Reading Womens who have been struggling with their mental health.

“They still haven’t been communicated to this news, apart from what they’ve seen on the statement.

“So I asked somebody within the club, do you know whether your role at the club is still apparent?

“Are you still going to keep your job? No idea. Nothing’s been communicated to them whatsoever. So it’s very, very disappointing.

“Are we surprised? Probably not.

“With the current ownership structure at Reading Football Club. As a club Dai Yongge, we know he’s been trying to sell the club.

“They were trying to sell off the training ground to local rivals Wycombe and there was big protests around that, which led to Wycombe actually pulling out of that deal themselves.

“They’re in desperate need of new ownership. They’re in League One themselves. Only just survived in League One last season, but just some brilliant work from Ruben Selles and the men’s side and the youngsters that they were breeding.

“But the women’s game, they’ve got women’s academy, that’s all going to go now as well. So the future looks really, really bleak.”

This is how fans reacted amid another casualty of Dai Yongge’s reign as Reading Women are withdrawn from their league…

@dingjohnny1871: Dark day for the club. It’ll be the men’s team soon if we can’t get an owner.

@suemsymes02: Devastating for all those affected and a real shame on those who are accountable.

@eu_1871: This is absolutely pathetic from every aspect of that board… i am so sorry to all the girls and women; past, present and future. Your commitment to the club has remained fantastic and I am sorry they couldn’t do the same in return….💔💔

@meggaherne: You all deserve much better. So sorry for you all, this is not ok.

@ChrisH1871: I dont even love this club atm, a mainstay in over 2 thirds of my life. Its being g ripped to pieces and we have to find out how via social media now. Sit here and wait for the next update. I wish the illest on Dai Yongge and all who own the club. If we survive, everyone else go

@evine2004: How can you expect fans, let alone players, to wear this badge with pride with the state of ReadingFC as it is. This isn’t the family club we’ve all grown up following and loving anymore, and the blood is on the hands of one man. #sellbeforewedai

@SamanthaSmit29: Absolutely devastating news….. and where is the information we need about the girls academy? When is someone going to release a statement to explain the implications of that?? This is not OK!!! #readingfc #sellbeforewedai @ReadingFCWomen @ReadingFC @SellBeforeWeDai @STARReading

@RupertFitzJones: This is extremely sad. I’m absolutely floored by this confirmation. As others say, I’m struggling to recognise the club more and more. Last season felt a lot more optimistic with takeover potential. But now, I have absolutely no idea where this is going next.

@bobby25964151: Feel awful, this is what’s to come for the men’s team

@CTM_FTW: The end is near 😢 i can’t believe we’re about to lose our club! 💔💔

@Since71Blog: Shouldn’t have been allowed to happen. A sad sad day!

@beckytrotman: Anyone involved in this massive failure including current and prospective owners should be ashamed.

@randallsroyals: Gutted for everyone impacted by this, absolutely disgraceful and undeserved for everyone involved

@michaelgranty: What must Reuben and the men’s 1st team players and staff be thinking and what’s next to go the academy set up what else can Dai destroy before he finally goes. If my child was in the academy I’d be looking to move them to a stable club which in itself is a disgrace.

@readingfclens: This is disgusting. This club is still rotten to the core. What a way to ruin a community. It’ll be the men’s team next. #readingfc

@TalkReading: The worst run club in the EFL. Devastating. #readingfc

@NJK20171: #ReadingFCWomen have been at the top table of women’s football and helped spearhead its growth. A proud achievement of a well run progressive community football club. NOW LOOK AT IT! Dai and any prospective owner that blocked a rescue, you don’t understand the values of #readingfc

@rebeccacooper01: Awful day in our clubs history! Gutted! Another nail in our coffin! Come on Dai, fuck off! #readingfc #SellBeforeWeDai

@Amy_loulou1992: I don’t think there’s enough expletives in the world to describe how I feel about this!! This is people’s livelihoods you have messed with. It’s our community!! So much for ‘One Club’ Dai Yongee can fuck right off!!

@TheRikMoran: Wow. That’s devastating for all the players, staff and fans.

@simply_langers: Fuck you and your cronies Dai. Blood on your hands (again). #readingfc

@FinSouthKlein: Despicable from all parties involved who allowed this to happen. Feel pretty sick and embarrassed on behalf of all of the players and staff whose lives have been turned upside down. Those at the top, inside and outside the negotiations, FUCK you.

@Joe1RFC: I am devastated, I’ve been watching the women’s team since I was 14, and the men’s since I was 5, this doesn’t feel like my club at all anymore. This isn’t anywhere near to the club I fell in love with… #readingfc

@FFSKarz: Where’s your so-called “honour” now, Dai? Everybody concerned with this disgraceful decision should hang their heads in shame. Just sell up, pack your bags and get the hell away from OUR club whilst we still have something left of it to save #ReadingFC

@ttmaynard: Very sad to see this, yet another part of the club being torn to pieces by Dai. The saga of the sale taking far too long to get resolved causing more and more issues the longer it drags on #readingfc 😢

@izzytrotter94: Heartbreaking stuff 💔 despite being a #readingfc fan since I was a kid, I’ve got a lot of weird feelings right now about supporting this club as a whole because I don’t know how I feel about being a female fan of a club that’s putting out a message that football isn’t for women

@danieljcross: Just hurry up and sell the club, you moron. This is horrendous timing for all players and staff at Reading Women, and the longer this takes, the more cuts there will be.

@noslwonkg: This is the worst day for Reading so far. Sorry to everyone involved with the Women’s team. Solution needed ASAP

@NikoSpud: A sad day for the club. Thankfully we have been able to keep some form of women’s team running that we may be able to develop over time but from the heady days of multiple WPL seasons to this is heartbreaking. Sending best wishes to all involved in and around the team

@etiawneb: Knew it was coming BUT this is the scariest bit…. ‘Whilst these requirements are in-line with the exponential growth of the women’s game – it is widely accepted that a direct financial return on annual investment is not expected for at least five years.’ 5 YEARS!

@CazParker1871: So sorry for all of you. Don’t recognise this club any more.

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