Billionaire Rangers boogeyman and former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is in talks to take over at fallen English League One club Reading.
The Athletic claims that Mike Ashley has spoken with Yongge Dai, the current owner of Reading, who has faced criticism as the team falls farther down the English football league ladder.
Interestingly, despite years of point deductions for financial violations, supporters seem to view Chinese businessman Yongge Dai as a worse alternative than Mike Ashley.
The EFL also brought a personal indictment against Dai for not making a sufficient deposit to cover his wages at the club in September.
Before Reading’s 3-2 loss to Portsmouth this past weekend, which dropped the team to the bottom of League One, the club’s supporters marched.
Reading played in the Championship for ten years prior to their relegation last season, which allowed them to move up to the fourth division of English football. They were last in the Premier League in 2013.
Although it seems like Mike Ashley will save Reading, Rangers supporters are well aware of the impact the High Street billionaire has on the team on a football club.
Rangers boogeyman Mike Ashley to Reading?
In an effort to use the Rangers as a springboard for his obnoxious Sports Direct brand, the team has spent years healing from retail contracts that were inked while the team was owned by an organisation with dubious motives.
Mike Ashley and the Rangers have clashed ever since Dave King and the Three Bears took over in 2015. However, last year, after seven years of negotiations, a solution was finally reached to release the billionaire from his retail dominance.
According to the club’s annual reports, Rangers paid £8 million for this. It’s not just Gers supporters who have dealt with Mike Ashley.
Newcastle United’s 2021 sale to the Saudis was greeted with jubilant emotions on Tyneside, and they haven’t exactly done too terrible since.
There’s a sense that Mike Ashley underutilised St. James’ Park, as the team finds itself back in the Champions League with a real chance to make a major splash.
However, Mike Ashley would not be the worst choice given that Reading is desperately looking for an alternative to the turbulent tenure of Yongge Dai, who has been in command since 2017.
Not only is the billionaire from High Street reportedly showing interest, but William Storey, a rival in Britain, is also rumoured to be involved.
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