Fans hit back at what the EFL had to say in statement about Reading and Dai Yongge

Fans have hit back at what the EFL had to say in their latest statement about the situation regarding Reading and Dai Yongge.

Reading owner Dai Yongge has been given more time to sell the club with the EFL previously stating that he must sell up or move on from the Royals this week, however this has now been extended to the 22nd of April.

It’s the final two paragraphs of their statement that fans have taken issue with, with one fan saying the EFL are trying to absolve themselves for green-lighting an owner who previously ran two clubs into the ground.

Failing to do so by the deadline will see the EFL suspend the Royals, who currently sit 7th in League One and a point outside the playoff places, from playing matches, with seven games to go.

Reading said they had the full intention of avoiding any potential suspension and Yongge was “committed” to reaching a conclusion.

So the @EFL are going to potentially penalise the club, fans, staff and livelihoods of all associated families all because of an owner that THEY passed the “fit and proper test” fucking morons. https://t.co/aaO3tUePY0

— Simon Church (@churchy18) April 3, 2025

EFL STATEMENT:

Following a meeting of the EFL’s Board earlier today, the League can confirm that following a request from Reading FC it has extended the time allowed for Mr Dai Yongge to divest his interests in the Club until 22 April subject to compliance with all other EFL Regulations.

As stated previously, the League’s priority is to progress a sale of the Club at the earliest opportunity, in order to end the current uncertainty surrounding its future for its staff, supporters and wider community. While Mr Yongge is yet to divest his interests, as is required following his disqualification, discussions for him to do so remain active and ongoing.

The Board recognised that these matters are further complicated by the structure of assets held across different companies, and various competing security interests, and therefore deemed it appropriate to allow more time for them to be resolved. In the meantime, the League will continue to monitor those discussions and the Club’s immediate cash flow requirements.

The League has the power to suspend a Club if a Director fails to comply with the requirements of their disqualification. The terms of any suspension would be at the discretion of the Board, and while suspended Clubs are not permitted to fulfil League matches, they would continue to be a member of the League at that point.

Following recent comments in respect of the circumstances around the approval of Mr Yongge’s acquisition of the Club in 2017, the League would like to reiterate that Mr Yongge was not subject to a sports governing body disqualification, including the Premier League, at the time of the acquisition.

The reason Mr Yongge did not proceed with a purchase at Hull City was related to the involvement of a separate individual. This individual was not involved in the subsequent purchase of Reading, and in the absence of any disqualifying condition, alongside ample evidence of source and sufficiency of funding, the EFL was obligated to confirm that Mr Yongge met the requirements of the Regulations.

Becky Trotman, Sell Before We Dai spokesperson, said: “We are grateful that the EFL have provided an extension and in doing so, have acknowledged that – however messy – tangible progress is being made to sell our football club.

“However, an additional two weeks is more stay of execution than true extension. We are therefore calling on all parties to put their differences to one side and redouble their efforts to get this club sold as soon as possible. As far as we’re concerned, there are no excuses left in the tank.

“A judge has highlighted a path forward, legal resolutions have been offered, rejected and renegotiated. We do not know the full details, but we do know that Reading fans are united by their love of the club and fear for its future.

“The preservation of our 153-year-old club is vital for those fans, the staff and the wider community – both in Reading and for football as a whole.

“We would now like to see the end of any games or brinkmanship and a return to the real business being conducted at the negotiating table. We have all suffered enough and the fans are desperate for a resolution.” ENDS

Fans hit back at what the EFL had to say in a statement about Reading and Dai Yongge…

@CazParker1871: It would be really useful to see what criteria you originally set out for additional reporting, (including enhanced financial monitoring).
Specifically:
1) What meetings were scheduled with the club for monitoring purposes?
2) How often were those meetings?
3) What checks were agreed?
4) What was the agreed frequency of these checks?
5) What was the escalation process for anything that looked non compliant or was at risk of becoming non compliant?
6) Who in the EFL signed off the various checks as ok?
We need answers.
#ReadingFC

@m1871e:
So they deemed Dai fit for purchase after:
• Being rejected by the Premier League for the purchase of Hull
• Killed Chinese top division club Beijing Renhe
• Killed top division Belgian side KSV Roeselare
That’s lack of care, lack of research and lack of effort. #readingfc

@BrianHoulton6: EFL are a disgrace, instead of helping a club in such desperate times, it decides to write two paragraphs of an excuse, when investigating Dai as a suitable person and trying to save face, when they should have investigated Dai properly. Pathetic, hold your heads in shame 😡

@deanocx: EFL should be fucking ashamed of those final two paragraphs. A club on the brink and they’re trying to make themselves feel better saying they’re not at fault. Fuck off

@JoshSB91: A man who couldn’t/wouldn’t sell the club in 18 months now has 19 days to get it done. There’s no fucking chance #ReadingFC

@JackOliverG: What worries me about this statement is that it should have been used to fans minds at ease, instead, they’re distancing themselves from blame, setting it up so they aren’t ‘responsible’ if the decision is suspension. Really poor again from the EFL #ReadingFC

@Dubstep1988
Good news: – EFL extension granted and they would not have granted it if they hadn’t seen evidence of progress
Bad news: – not a long extension
Funny news: – EFL now tetchy enough to defend approving Dai Yongge in 2017
#readingfc

@MbenGOAT: Pathetic last two paragraphs 👏

@Rowan11650075: Trying to cover your back, you approved him as you have done to many other bad owners

@OJ_royal: Give yourselves a pat on the back, so generous to get together and extend the deadline. And to distance yourselves from DYs ability to purchase after failing PL fit&proper owners test whilst passing yours. Genius!

@Readingfanman:
Standard EFL comms there with the final 2 paragraphs.
‘Ooh it’s not our fault, please don’t blame us’

@Jamesmck9: They deemed him credible to own a football club. We can complain and rightly so about Tan but all fans should unite behind @ReadingFC and their protests. Anyone who can needs to attend protests no matter who you support. Good luck.

@pott95: Realistically they weren’t going to throw us out at such a crucial stage of the season as it would look bad on them. Further proven that point by them trying to cover themselves over the Hull/Dai situation. Joke of an organisation. Blood on their hands. #readingfc

@PAN1F: Finally an answer to the question most #readingfc fans were asking – why Dai Yongge was allowed to take us over, despite the PL knocking him back on buying Hull. Grateful for the extension, but the message remains.. SELL THE CLUB & F**K OFF HOME #SellBeforeWeDai #readingfc

@PopsideFanatics: Yet YOU allowed him to take over a club!! EFL NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE!!

@SeanKB94: Why was the liquidation of the previous two clubs he owned not a ‘disqualifying condition’?

@davemc_exile: This is absolute bollox talk about trying to say it wasn’t there issue they allowed him to be an owner – this isn’t a time for the @EFL to save face and stop any flak it’s a time for them to support us #readingfc

@Neil_Harman57: A diabolical tragedy. I remember when the Football League was competently run (I used to write about it quite extensively).

@rfc106: I’m pretty disappointed this wasn’t extended 1 month to allow us to complete our season. If Barnsley and Bristol Rovers can’t go up or down by 22 April then I think they will suspend #readingfc
Can’t see a sale before then sadly.

@longlaneroyal: The @EFL… gutless, spineless, not fit for purpose! Continually you only look to cover your own arses with excuses rather than proper action against Dai. If we survive it won’t be thanks to you. You’ve continually prolonged our agony & survival chances by your ineptitude.

No further words needed. https://t.co/QZbyv45l02 pic.twitter.com/kY8SHA0l4h

— Alex Everson (@Readingfanman) April 3, 2025