Highlights
- Despite financial woes and points deductions, Reading managed to survive in League One.
- Reading fans are eagerly awaiting a stable 2024/25 season with hopes of no more points deductions.
- Dr. Dan Plumley warns of ongoing risk under Dai Yongge’s ownership, emphasising the need for a takeover for financial stability.
It’s fair to say that the 2023/24 campaign was a tumultuous one for Reading.
The Royals had been relegated to League One ahead of the 2023/24 campaign thanks to a points deduction, and the club’s financial woes didn’t end there, with the club suffering further deductions throughout the course of their League One campaign.
Despite owner Dai Yongge still being in charge, Ruben Selles’ side managed to survive comfortably, and huge credit must go to the club’s management and players for performing so admirably on the pitch despite what’s been going on off it.
|
League One table – 2023/24 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Club |
P |
GD |
Pts |
|
15th |
Bristol Rovers |
46 |
-16 |
57 |
|
16th |
Charlton Athletic |
46 |
-1 |
53 |
|
17th |
Reading |
46 |
-2 |
53 |
|
18th |
Cambridge United |
46 |
-22 |
48 |
|
19th |
Shrewsbury Town |
46 |
-32 |
48 |
Yongge is still at the club, but he is actively trying to sell up, and Reading fans have longed for the day when the Chinese businessman is no longer at the helm at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Reading suffered three points deductions during the 2023/24 season, and everybody at the club will desperately be hoping that they won’t suffer any more next season.
Football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley believes that there’s always a risk of Reading being hit with further penalties by the EFL when Dai Yongge is still in charge.
Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Plumley said: “I think there’s always a risk, and as we’ve seen with Reading, if they keep breaching the financial rules of the league, then there’s always a chance that the league will hit you with a penalty. That’s the way it is.
“For me, if you roll that forward, then a takeover seems the likely way out of that situation at the minute, which the fans are certainly pushing for and, as are the wider football community, it’s a really difficult time for the club and their fans.
“But to break the cycle, either the club and its owners sort the mess out so that the club aren’t falling foul of EFL regulations, or the takeover happens, and the debts are cleared, pushing a reset button on the club’s finances, and you’d anticipate that they’d have a clear slate with the EFL as well.
“Whilst that is still up in the air, you’ve got an element of risk.”
Reading fans will be hoping for a more stable 2024/25 season
As Dr Dan Plumley pointed out above, there will always be a risk of further sanctions whilst Dai Yongge is still at the club, but everyone at Reading will be hoping for a more stable 2024/25 season.
Even something like not having a points deduction next season would be a good start for Reading, and it would allow the playing group to have a chance of competing for the play-offs and even promotion.
Reading FC takeover update revealed after concerns revealed
There has been a couple of bits of takeover news in the past 24 hours – and many fans will be feeling mixed about the situation.
The 2023/24 season was not an enjoyable one for the Royals fanbase, with constant threats of points deductions, financial issues and even the club going out of business hanging over them.
No takeover has been agreed yet, but it seems as if Reading could finally get rid of Dai Yongge in the not so distant future, and only then will the club be able to thrive once again.