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Reading Supporters Trust cover club costs amid off-field turmoil with another takeover twist

The Reading Supporters Trust have took to cover club costs amid the current off-field turmoil with another takeover twist emerging.

The Supporters Trust at Reading Football Club (STAR) has been a vital force in supporting the club during tough times their side are currently facing, particularly as yet another twist has emerged in the prolonged takeover saga.

Reading FC continues to grapple with financial instability and ownership uncertainty under Dai Yongge, who has been mandated by the EFL to sell the club.

The most recent takeover twist, announced on April 9th, 2025, sees Reading FC in “professional and positive” negotiations with a new prospective buyer, with a deadline extended to April 22 by the EFL.

The club has assured stakeholders that funds are in place to meet immediate obligations like payroll and taxes until a sale is completed.

On the pitch, the team remains competitive in League One, sitting 6th (in the playoffs), a testament to the resilience of players and fans alike. Could they just end the season clinching a playoff place or will they even be able to finish the season at all?

Reading statement:

Reading Football Club would like to provide a further update on the ongoing sale process.

Since the last statement dated 27th March, the exclusivity period with the prospective buyer has now expired, and club representatives are now in advanced dialogue with an alternative bidder. Negotiations between the parties are proceeding in a professional and positive manner, with full recognition from all concerned of the need to bring a sale of the club to a conclusion for all stakeholders, including players, staff and supporters.

Following a request from the club, last week the EFL extended the time allowed for Mr Dai to divest his interests in the club until 22 April. The parties are working to complete negotiations at the earliest opportunity and expect to meet the EFL’s requirements. In the interim, the club has taken steps to ensure that the ongoing financial obligations, including taxes and payroll, will be met in full. As matters progress, the club will issue additional information accordingly.

The Supporters’ Trust At Reading (@STARReading) wrote: “Despite the off-field turmoil, Noel Hunt’s team now sit sixth in the table, with the playoffs – remarkably – a very realistic ambition. We believe we speak on behalf of all Reading fans when we say we are incredibly proud of this group.

“The ownership crisis and resulting financial issues are not just a distraction for the players, there are times when it actively detracts from their matchday preparations. There have been well-publicised cutbacks on catering, but also overnight stays when travelling for long distance away games.

“For every other team at our level, overnight stays for long-distance away games are a given. They are a vital part of ensuring appropriate preparation, rest and relaxation for the players. Due to our situation, they have become a luxury we often cannot afford.

“Given these circumstances, the STAR board took the decision to pay for our players to have an overnight stay for the Shrewsbury Town game. This was not an insignificant sum and is not within our usual brief, but it passed with a unanimous board vote as we strongly believed it was the right thing to do to support our promotion-chasing team.

“The players and manager have since been in touch to offer their heartfelt thanks and asked us to pass them onto the wider fanbase – there is a genuine belief that the overnight stay helped them secure victory. If you have ever contributed to a STAR fundraiser, signed up to be a member or travelled on our coaches, you played a role in ensuring a Reading win on Tuesday night.

“Thank you.

“We acknowledge it should not be the responsibility of a supporters trust to cover the club costs, but we are proud that we were able to do so. Uninterested owners are temporary, passionate fans are permanent. If you would like to sign up to be a member, please do so here https://star-reading.org/join-star”

Sell Before We Dai statement:

Reaction to Reading Football Club’s latest statement – 9th April 2025

Starting with the positives, Reading FC’s commitment to regular communication is appreciated. We are also incredibly relieved to read that provisions have been made to satisfy wages and the taxman. However, treating these basics as “good news” is indicative of how far we have fallen. This is yet another statement which represents the staggering incompetence that has characterised this club since 2017.

Staggering incompetence from the EFL saw Dai Yongge enter our club, staggering incompetence defined his stewardship of the club. Perhaps it is fitting that staggering incompetence has come to define his efforts to exit the club too.

It is increasingly clear that – despite multiple assurances this was not the case – Rob Couhig’s legal manoeuvring has deterred alternative new owners, most recently including Robert Platek. While Couhig’s actions may leave a bitter taste in the mouth for a number of fans, it is also the incompetence of our ownership and their respective legal counsel that has allowed this ludicrous legal situation to materialise.

We strongly suspect that Couhig is now the club’s alternative bidder. This is due to confirmation from the club that financial support has been secured – something which would have been difficult to obtain externally, except from Couhig, due to his hold on securities. Sell Before We Dai has always maintained a position of being “owner agnostic” or, in less grandiose terms, “anyone but Dai”, and we won’t change that now.

As a result, it’s the same message from us. Whoever the ‘new’ bidder is, please just get the takeover done. Everything good about this club is being betrayed by this disastrous sale process and it’s distracting from a truly incredible season on the pitch. We have the threat of an EFL disqualification hanging over our heads and only five players contracted past the summer- the need for speed cannot be understated.

If we’ve called this completely wrong and there is a different bidder in the mix, who has a deal agreed with Couhig, and Dai has shaken his magic money tree to fund the club while a takeover progresses, we look forward to a swift completion and pigs flying over the SCL Stadium.

Twitter users reacted as Reading Supporters Trust cover some club costs amid the current off-field turmoil with another takeover twist emerging…

@RoryMcAnuff: Someone at STAR has just bagged themselves @bookingcom genius level 3 👏🏻 on a serious note tho this is class, shouldn’t be necessary but unfortunately supporters doing things that shouldn’t be necessary has become the norm at #readingfc under this dictatorship, bring on the sale

@deanocx: Top stuff, shouldn’t have to come to this but that’s a great thing to do. On we march

@ReadingBTL: Reading fans paying the club’s hotel costs during an existential Play-Off race will be remembered however this season ends. The surrealism of this situation never stops. Noel Hunt and Mikele Leigertwood are coaching a team of Academy kids and are SIXTH. #ReadingFC

@SimonPovey1970_: Well done guys,we all stick together when times are hard, that’s the way it should be in life…..

@alisterrfc1: Well done that’s brilliant shouldn’t have to do it by any means but we are all in this together and we want to help the players in any way possible so get down and support the boys when you can there really good hard working set of players #readingfc

@HarrisonLeigh10: Incredible work 👏

@tommyrfc: This, in a nutshell, highlights just how bad things have got for the club, but also how amazing our fanbase is

@DazWareham: Exceptional 👏

@MarkHopgoo44290: A quality gesture

@ElmParkRoyals: STAR have been fantastic during this process. They’ve gone well beyond the call of duty and this is another example

@Djhame: Well done and thanks guys!

@ronniemac93: I stopped using the coach services a couple years ago, however I will always renew my membership. We have all been guilty of negative comments towards Star in the heats of the moment. However they do a fantastic job for the club. Long live Star #readingfc

@steven_sawers: Perfect 👍👍👍👍 well done guys!!!!

@CScott____: 👏🏼 appreciated.

@Dubstep1988: We shouldn’t have to cover a billionaire’s bills – but proud that we did. This group of players have gone the extra mile for us, we’ll go the extra mile for them. Nice one and thank you Royals. UTFD 👊 P.S. We accept no responsibility for the first half. 😆 #readingfc

@caldini4: Ahaha this club is something special. Fair play STAR and any fan contributors, because any help to the players is massive, but wow this is a ridiculous situation.

@Hayd_is_back: It should never have come to this. STAR have played an absolute blinder here. If this doesn’t encourage membership to go up, I don’t know what will. Just don’t lose the connection between club and fans when this shitshow finally ends. #ReadingFC

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