League One - clubs in crisis

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Seems as though reading fans aren't too please with the purchase and some quite awful things being directed to the Wycombe hierarchy (on the socials)

with all due respect to Reading its hardly a football dynasty is it

Merge the clubs. Thames Valley FC.

[longmover]

There does seem to be an aloofness from Reading fans about the mess they're in.

They seem to want to blame everyone and everything and unless it's helpful to them then you're the enemy. One guy on another forum has basically spent the last 24 hours completely slating Wycombe as if they've done it deliberately to kill Reading off.

I empathise with their fanbase, but they didn't seem overly concerned when blowing Cambridge out of the water to sign Knibbs and Smith in the summer.

pretty sure if they stay up (at the expense of well run sustainable <ahem> clubs) then they'll be full of quiet reflection, humble and respectful for those that have been relegated.

[QED]

I empathise with their fanbase, but they didn't seem overly concerned when blowing Cambridge out of the water to sign Knibbs and Smith in the summer.

Everything’s connected, and every club has a section of the fan base that can’t realize this. The week we reported a 500k loss due primarily to increasing salary costs, you had the club’s replies on social media full of people talking about a lack of ambition from the club. The budget is the budget.

Reading should be selling their training ground and their playing squad if they’ve got no money. Their wage bill was 150% of their turnover in the Championship the year they went down - half a million a week on wages (I think that would pay half our first XI for a year). Dai Yongge is clearly a charlatan who needs to sell up fast, but they’ve been taking the p!## for years and having him underwrite it.

[Jerry St Clair]

There does seem to be an aloofness from Reading fans about the mess they're in.

They seem to want to blame everyone and everything and unless it's helpful to them then you're the enemy. One guy on another forum has basically spent the last 24 hours completely slating Wycombe as if they've done it deliberately to kill Reading off.

I empathise with their fanbase, but they didn't seem overly concerned when blowing Cambridge out of the water to sign Knibbs and Smith in the summer.

You're applying collective responsibility to a diverse fanbase. Many are very, very aware of the 'cheating' aspect.

But we return to the central problem. Dai Yongge failed the Premier League fit and proper persons test. He has asset stripped and liquidated two of a his previous clubs. Yet the EFL allowed him to buy Reading. There is absolutely nothing the fans can do about any of this. If it happened at Whaddon Road, we would be in exactly the same position. Impotent.

By the way, we have recorded £500k loss. By signing Jordan Thomas, haven;t we done exactly the same thing to Bath that Reading did Cambridge? Presumably we offered Jordan more money than Bath despite not being able to afford it.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

There does seem to be an aloofness from Reading fans about the mess they're in.

They seem to want to blame everyone and everything and unless it's helpful to them then you're the enemy. One guy on another forum has basically spent the last 24 hours completely slating Wycombe as if they've done it deliberately to kill Reading off.

I empathise with their fanbase, but they didn't seem overly concerned when blowing Cambridge out of the water to sign Knibbs and Smith in the summer.

You're applying collective responsibility to a diverse fanbase. Many are very, very aware of the 'cheating' aspect.

But we return to the central problem. Dai Yongge failed the Premier League fit and proper persons test. He has asset stripped and liquidated two of a his previous clubs. Yet the EFL allowed him to buy Reading. There is absolutely nothing the fans can do about any of this. If it happened at Whaddon Road, we would be in exactly the same position. Impotent.

By the way, we have recorded £500k loss. By signing Jordan Thomas, haven;t we done exactly the same thing to Bath that Reading did Cambridge? Presumably we offered Jordan more money than Bath despite not being able to afford it.

The £550k loss was in the last financial year. Jordan Thomas is this financial year, and neither you or I know if we can afford him within this year’s budget or not.

[ctfc-fan]

There does seem to be an aloofness from Reading fans about the mess they're in.

They seem to want to blame everyone and everything and unless it's helpful to them then you're the enemy. One guy on another forum has basically spent the last 24 hours completely slating Wycombe as if they've done it deliberately to kill Reading off.

I empathise with their fanbase, but they didn't seem overly concerned when blowing Cambridge out of the water to sign Knibbs and Smith in the summer.

You're applying collective responsibility to a diverse fanbase. Many are very, very aware of the 'cheating' aspect.

But we return to the central problem. Dai Yongge failed the Premier League fit and proper persons test. He has asset stripped and liquidated two of a his previous clubs. Yet the EFL allowed him to buy Reading. There is absolutely nothing the fans can do about any of this. If it happened at Whaddon Road, we would be in exactly the same position. Impotent.

By the way, we have recorded £500k loss. By signing Jordan Thomas, haven;t we done exactly the same thing to Bath that Reading did Cambridge? Presumably we offered Jordan more money than Bath despite not being able to afford it.

It’s only a loss for the year, there could be (and think there is) retained profits so the club isn’t insolvent.

[horlickfanclub]

There does seem to be an aloofness from Reading fans about the mess they're in.

They seem to want to blame everyone and everything and unless it's helpful to them then you're the enemy. One guy on another forum has basically spent the last 24 hours completely slating Wycombe as if they've done it deliberately to kill Reading off.

I empathise with their fanbase, but they didn't seem overly concerned when blowing Cambridge out of the water to sign Knibbs and Smith in the summer.

You're applying collective responsibility to a diverse fanbase. Many are very, very aware of the 'cheating' aspect.

But we return to the central problem. Dai Yongge failed the Premier League fit and proper persons test. He has asset stripped and liquidated two of a his previous clubs. Yet the EFL allowed him to buy Reading. There is absolutely nothing the fans can do about any of this. If it happened at Whaddon Road, we would be in exactly the same position. Impotent.

By the way, we have recorded £500k loss. By signing Jordan Thomas, haven;t we done exactly the same thing to Bath that Reading did Cambridge? Presumably we offered Jordan more money than Bath despite not being able to afford it.

The £550k loss was in the last financial year. Jordan Thomas is this financial year, and neither you or I know if we can afford him within this year’s budget or not.

Well said Regency. Also we had some shares purchased putting capital in to the Company. The Bath comparison is bizarre.They are not failing to pay creditors like Reading F.C.

[Red Duke]

Seems as though reading fans aren't too please with the purchase and some quite awful things being directed to the Wycombe hierarchy (on the socials)

with all due respect to Reading its hardly a football dynasty is it

Merge the clubs. Thames Valley FC.

Oh! That brings back memories of Robert Maxwell and his idea of trying to merge Oxford United and Reading.

[plymrob]

I'll get my boat.... or not!

[paperboy]

Mmmm,really.

https://twitter.com/james_e1871/status/ ... 3O4UA&s=19

[Jerry St Clair]

You're applying collective responsibility to a diverse fanbase. Many are very, very aware of the 'cheating' aspect.

But we return to the central problem. Dai Yongge failed the Premier League fit and proper persons test. He has asset stripped and liquidated two of a his previous clubs. Yet the EFL allowed him to buy Reading. There is absolutely nothing the fans can do about any of this. If it happened at Whaddon Road, we would be in exactly the same position. Impotent.

By the way, we have recorded £500k loss. By signing Jordan Thomas, haven;t we done exactly the same thing to Bath that Reading did Cambridge? Presumably we offered Jordan more money than Bath despite not being able to afford it.

The £550k loss was in the last financial year. Jordan Thomas is this financial year, and neither you or I know if we can afford him within this year’s budget or not.

Well said Regency. Also we had some shares purchased putting capital in to the Company. The Bath comparison is bizarre.They are not failing to pay creditors like Reading F.C.

I know. You're of course, correct, the comparison doesn't stand-up. The bit I object to is th contention that fans of other clubs should be expected to take some form of unspecified action when they suspect their club is cheating or flexing the rules to gain an advantage, Easy to say when its not your club.

[Shade]

Mmmm,really.

https://twitter.com/james_e1871/status/ ... 3O4UA&s=19

I read some comments on twitter, which can't be taken too seriously, of course, that said they had buyers lined up but only if there was no debt, which is why they were selling the training ground, and then the deal would go through quickly.

Unfortunately, for us, if true, it feels like our last chance of staying up has drifted away.

[Jerry St Clair]

The drama from Berkshire continues. Wycombe have pulled out of the deal to buy Reading's training ground.

It seems that a detail in the planning consent when the facility was built specified it's use a football training venue AND that Reading FC would be the sole user. Seems to have put them off.

The immediate impact is that Feliciana (Wycombe's owners) will not be providing an interim payment for the purchase which Reading had hoped would pay the bills for March. As things stand, they are brassic again.

(As an aside, do we have similar community asset-type protections in place for Seasons, lest an avaricious property developer came sniffing around? )

[longmover]

The drama from Berkshire continues. Wycombe have pulled out of the deal to buy Reading's training ground.

It seems that a detail in the planning consent when the facility was built specified it's use a football training venue AND that Reading FC would be the sole user. Seems to have put them off.

The immediate impact is that Feliciana (Wycombe's owners) will not be providing an interim payment for the purchase which Reading had hoped would pay the bills for March. As things stand, they are brassic again.

(As an aside, do we have similar community asset-type protections in place for Seasons, lest an avaricious property developer came sniffing around? )

a gentleman's agreement.

[Shade]

Reading some of the...Reading...fans comments about Wycombe on twitter during this whole debacle makes it very hard to feel sorry for them if they go under. The situation they're in and they're banging on about Wycombe being tinpot and not being able to afford to run their training ground anyway.

Newsflash, Reading fans - neither can you.

[paperboy]

The drama from Berkshire continues. Wycombe have pulled out of the deal to buy Reading's training ground.

It seems that a detail in the planning consent when the facility was built specified it's use a football training venue AND that Reading FC would be the sole user. Seems to have put them off.

The immediate impact is that Feliciana (Wycombe's owners) will not be providing an interim payment for the purchase which Reading had hoped would pay the bills for March. As things stand, they are brassic again.

(As an aside, do we have similar community asset-type protections in place for Seasons, lest an avaricious property developer came sniffing around? )

That clause was flagged up on social media a few days ago.

Reading somehow thinking that Wycombe's legal beagles wouldn't spot it until after they'd handed over some cash I suppose.

Amusing.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Maybe we should make a bargain basement offer to buy Reading’s 3G training pitch and the turf from their other pitches to lay at Seasons.

Would solve the issue of our pitches not being good enough to use and wouldn’t fall foul of their planning condition.

[horlickfanclub]

Maybe we should make a bargain basement offer to buy Reading’s 3G training pitch and the turf from their other pitches to lay at Seasons.

Would solve the issue of our pitches not being good enough to use and wouldn’t fall foul of their planning condition.
[/quot

As the Manager said a clay layer was not helping drainage at Seasons putting turf from Reading on top would not help

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Maybe we should make a bargain basement offer to buy Reading’s 3G training pitch and the turf from their other pitches to lay at Seasons.

Would solve the issue of our pitches not being good enough to use and wouldn’t fall foul of their planning condition.

As the Manager said a clay layer was not helping drainage at Seasons putting turf from Reading on top would not help

3G pitch would. And obviously we would need to sort the clay and drainage before any new turf or seed goes down - didn’t think it needed saying.

[ctfc-fan]

Maybe we should make a bargain basement offer to buy Reading’s 3G training pitch and the turf from their other pitches to lay at Seasons.

Would solve the issue of our pitches not being good enough to use and wouldn’t fall foul of their planning condition.

As the Manager said a clay layer was not helping drainage at Seasons putting turf from Reading on top would not help

3G pitch would. And obviously we would need to sort the clay and drainage before any new turf or seed goes down - didn’t think it needed saying.

‘Sort the clay’? Like it’s that easy? It would cost a fortune.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

As the Manager said a clay layer was not helping drainage at Seasons putting turf from Reading on top would not help

3G pitch would. And obviously we would need to sort the clay and drainage before any new turf or seed goes down - didn’t think it needed saying.

‘Sort the clay’? Like it’s that easy? It would cost a fortune.

I didn’t say it was easy or cheap. I was just agreeing with the previous poster that it needs to be done.

I know nothing about this type of thing so I have no suggestion or comment on how drainage could be improved.

We do own the training ground so probably more likely to spend money there than on Council property as well perhaps?

[longmover]

What I don't get is why is there an issue now with the training ground? I can't remember any other manager at CTFC having an issue with it as much as DC has?

[horlickfanclub]

I think other Managers have just got on with it and also he has not taken in to account the record breaking rainfall. One look at Reading and Wycombe would highlight some positives about owning your own training ground.

[Shade]

I was going to say, it's been a very wet winter, with a ridiculous number of matches postponed for waterlogged/unfit pitches around the country. Most of those pitches get played on usually twice a week at most, twice in a fortnight, so you can imagine what a training ground that gets used most days might be like.

[Jerry St Clair]

Reading's sponsor, Select Car Leasing, are reported to have paid to cover the £1m shortfall in funding for March. Which would ward off the threat of a points deduction for now.

(I find it odd how benefactors, sponsors, philanthropists or shysters can inject unlimited amounts of money into a football club and for that to be ok under financial fair play regulations, but that's another story)

[longmover]

Reading's sponsor, Select Car Leasing, are reported to have paid to cover the £1m shortfall in funding for March. Which would ward off the threat of a points deduction for now.

(I find it odd how benefactors, sponsors, philanthropists or shysters can inject unlimited amounts of money into a football club and for that to be ok under financial fair play regulations, but that's another story)

So that means that any points deduction will be wef next season then, what are the chances of that eh

The whole structure is a total farce and puts me off football, what's the point? What is the point is slaving away season after season when (the same) clubs repeatably take the pi55 with hardly any (very little) comeuppance for their cheating?

[Jerry St Clair]

I tend to agree. Clubs that have spent beyond their means have been through crises that have often resulted in relegation (Derby, Wigan, Reading) most recently. But the long term consequences are minimal.

But they still pay big wages, have kept their grounds and expensive facilities and carry on regardless. After a few rocky years, all of them will probably find themselves back in the Championship and eyeing up the Premier League.........,

[plymrob]

Supporter numbers help... You also need to show some respect to the supporter base.

Though I do, increasingly, tend to understand the idea of supporting success with the overspend - but I will always question the throwing one's hand up when it goes pear-shaped. For most years it was a non-league Cheltenham me; so, I'm very happy to tread a middle ground based on good management, good team spirit and what you can afford.

And let the rerst get their own shenaggins.

Best news today is Colchester drew and Forest Green loosing by two. That's Karma.

[longmover]

Wigan record £13.4m loss after relegation from the champ last season.

https://wiganathletic.com/news/2024/mar ... lb_x1X4kkY

We are ambitious for Wigan Athletic, but first, we must be realistic about the challenges we face as we continue to work to bring stability to the Football Club. Lessons must be learnt from the past if we want to be sustainable for the future.

In the short term, significant owner funding will still be required to help ensure the debt inherited is manageable. The Football Club has for too long relied on significant owner funding to achieve short term footballing success. This approach has resulted in catastrophic consequences for the Football Club on two occasions.

So now they want to be realistic

[Jerry St Clair]

In fairness to Wigan, they had two owners in four years, a Bahrain based conglomerate and a Hong Kong investment fund, under whom these problems occurred.

Their new owner bought the club last summer so is not responsible for the mess these losses indicate.

[longmover]

In fairness to Wigan, they had two owners in four years, a Bahrain based conglomerate and a Hong Kong investment fund, under whom these problems occurred.

Their new owner bought the club last summer so is not responsible for the mess these losses indicate.

so you think the new owner(s) are going to strip back spending and sort themselves with a few seasons in league one? or just spend just slightly less than the previous owners to get back into the champ asap

[Jerry St Clair]

I've no idea.

I'm saying they've been at the club for six months so it's too early to judge them.

[Jerry St Clair]

Morecambe have been placed under embargo by the EFL for failing to pay HMRC taxes due.

The embargo means they cannot sign players or add to the club staff.

[Si Robin]

In fairness to Wigan, they had two owners in four years, a Bahrain based conglomerate and a Hong Kong investment fund, under whom these problems occurred.

Their new owner bought the club last summer so is not responsible for the mess these losses indicate.

so you think the new owner(s) are going to strip back spending and sort themselves with a few seasons in league one? or just spend just slightly less than the previous owners to get back into the champ asap

The new owner is a known rugby fan and has apparently only really taken control to secure the safety of the ground. He owns a 25% stake in Wigan Warriors.

They're not likely to be as mental as they have been previously. He has been clear that he wants the club to be stable and sustainable.

[longmover]

In fairness to Wigan, they had two owners in four years, a Bahrain based conglomerate and a Hong Kong investment fund, under whom these problems occurred.

Their new owner bought the club last summer so is not responsible for the mess these losses indicate.

so you think the new owner(s) are going to strip back spending and sort themselves with a few seasons in league one? or just spend just slightly less than the previous owners to get back into the champ asap

The new owner is a known rugby fan and has apparently only really taken control to secure the safety of the ground. He owns a 25% stake in Wigan Warriors.

They're not likely to be as mental as they have been previously. He has been clear that he wants the club to be stable and sustainable.

Who owns the ground? Why don't the rugby club just buy it?