The League One match between Charlton Athletic and Reading today is set to take place to a backdrop of thousands of clowns at the Select Car Leasing Stadium as the two sides lock horns in a relegation battle six-pointer.
There’s no Clown Con taking place in Berkshire this weekend and the stunt, which is sure to turn heads across the nation, comes with a serious reason. Reading supporters are taking action against club owner Dai Yongge amid the financial plight the Royals find themselves in.
The Sell Before We Dai group is in charge of organising the most recent protest wave, which has seen billboards calling for Yongge and the club’s management to “get that clown out of our town” already visible this week in the city core. In an attempt to force the club’s owner out, Reading supporters will dress as clowns and don Dai Yongge masks at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday.
The organisation released the following statement on X: “The Charlton and #PVFC protests have been planned with that in mind, along with the recent EFL punishment. We understand fans want protests that everyone, no matter how young or old, can get involved with.”
“The regime, not the squad, is the sole target of these protests, which are meant to be inclusive, ineffective, and embarrassing. We support Rubén, the players, and the staff as always. As we battle to stay in League One, we want to come together as a team.
“Dai will continue to be under pressure at the SCL, but we also plan to advance our broader activities.” We’ll keep up our political action and EFL conversation.
Earlier in the season, Reading fans have symbolically deducted points for financial misdeeds committed by the Yongge administration by tossing tennis balls onto the pitch in the sixteenth minute. In an attempt to be heard, Royals supporters also invaded the pitch in that moment last month against Port Vale, forcing the suspension of that match.
“The first fan-led match abandonment in our 152-year history should not be celebrated, but the spontaneous, unfiltered passion, as well as the will and determination of our fans, should be,” the Sell Before We Dai group said in a statement regarding the incident. We are aware that the EFL will punish us, but we actually require assistance. It was an expressions of sympathy from a fan base not renowned for its animosity. We fear for our football team’s future because the threat is really genuine. Though this is only the beginning of our elevated protest activity, we hope that this will be the last abandoned match we ever do.
Yongge, whose riches originates from an empire of Chinese shopping centres and the investment holding company Renhe Commercial Holdings Company Limited, faces fines of £20,000 and £50,000 for neglecting to deposit funds into an account that the EFL has approved. Due to agreements for first-team players being reached without manager Ruben Selles’ or head of football operations Mark Bowen’s approval, staff members at the football club have been laid off. The Athletic has also disclosed the elimination of hotel stays for away games, reductions in training ground catering, and discovery of a heating shortage for office workers.
Yongge has been instructed by the EFL to sell the club or find funding. The EFL released the following statement: “As fans of Reading FC are well aware, it has become increasingly evident in recent months that Mr. Dai Yongge is no longer able or motivated to provide the financial support that the club needs, as he did after the change of ownership in 2017.”
“Due to his persistent shortcomings, the diligent employees of the club are once more uneasy about their wages being paid, and he exhibits blatant contempt for his responsibilities as a club director.Regarding this matter, the League will now explore all of its options as permitted under the Regulations and won’t hold back from filing more charges against Mr. Dai.
“In the interim, and for the benefit of Reading FC, its employees, supporters, and the surrounding community, we implore Mr. Dai to either provide the club with sufficient funding or to promptly arrange the sale of his majority shareholding to suitable new owners so that everyone can proceed with renewed hope.”
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