Former Reading striker Kevin Doyle has revealed how sad he is about his old club’s situation, with the club now in danger of being relegated to League Two and even going out of business.
When the Irishman signed up with the Royals in the summer of 2005, the team was sitting well in the Championship and had a chance to make it to the Premier League.
That’s just what they accomplished in his first season at Berkshire, and they did it in spectacular fashion, finishing the 2005–06 season with a record 106 points.
Doyle’s goal against Leicester City secured the current League One team’s first-ever promotion to the top level.
After two years at the top, they were demoted to the second division and eventually made their way back to the top flight in 2012.
Since their last elevation, they have, regrettably, had a difficult time of it. They have been demoted twice, almost went out of business under Anton Zingarevich, and are currently in danger of going out of business under current owner Dai Yongge.
The Royals have lost eighteen points since Dai took over the lower division team back in 2017. These losses have all occurred in the last few years.
Six of these points have arrived this season due to unpaid wages and persistently late payments to HMRC; as a result of these penalties, the team is still in danger of being relegated.
Doyle on Reading FC’s ownership situation: “It’s sad to see because it’s a fabulous club”
The Royals’ loyal fan following last had Sir John Madejski as its owner until the tycoon gave up ownership of the team in 2014.
He did a fantastic job running the team and was instrumental in both of the club’s promotions to the premier league.
Doyle was quoted as saying, “It’s funny, Reading seems to get deducted points at the drop of a hat,” by BoyleSports, who provides the most recent Cheltenham Betting. Then you see other large teams—I won’t mention names—being accused of more than a hundred separate financial offences and receiving no deductions whatsoever.
Isn’t it simple to sanction the little club? He passed an ownership test, and because the EFL granted him permission to purchase the team, the players and supporters are the ones who suffer the consequences; the league will never recover.
“They’re the ones who gave the owner the permit and declared he had completed all the necessary checks, but Reading gets punished. If this is the case, given that he also owned previous teams, I’m not sure how he passed all the tests.
“The players and supporters of the team themselves suffer the consequences, not the owner. You could tell the takeover wouldn’t work out well in the long run when I first saw it.
“They should take some responsibility rather than putting the entire burden on the club, especially since he passed the EFL’s less demanding exams.
“Looking back, John Madejski received a lot of criticism for his lack of expenditure. He was really passionate about that club, though, I’ll tell you.
He was a big fan of Reading, not football in particular, and he would come in before every home game to wish us luck. He would be on the bus for every away game, going around and shaking hands with every player.
“He didn’t have to do any of it, but he did, and that makes him a proper owner. It is the proper way to handle things, and it is unfortunate to see Reading, a fantastic club, being treated so poorly these days.
Reading FC need an owner like Sir John Madejski now
These days, Sir John would most likely find it difficult to compete financially in football.
But in his time at the club, he managed the Royals incredibly successfully, and he certainly deserved to have a stand named after him.
He was a great manager of the team, but what really made his tenure so memorable was his love for the Royals.
While there were ups and downs for the Berkshire outfit during his tenure, he led the Royals to success and showed that he cared.
Conversely, Dai, the current owner, has been a complete failure.
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