Club ownership - careful what you wish for.

This from a Reading fan:

After 21 years in the top two levels, Reading got relegated last night :-(

What a s**tshow the last few years have been. A dodgy Russian owner who turned out to have cheated the ownership test and had no money, a Thai consortium who'd previously been rejected by the ownership test and didn't have enough money, and finally a new Chinese owner who has loads of money but has made a series of terrible decisions.

The current owner took over the club just as it was about to go in to the play off final. Six years later the club are relegated and are in financial shambles. Under the influence of "super agent" Kia Joorabchian and (now departed) CEO Ron Gourlay, millions have been spent on below par players, along with some bizarre managerial appointments. Even worse, financial fair play rules were deliberately broken, resulting in the club spending three years under heavy transfer restrictions and two years with points deductions.

Years ago under Madejski Reading used to be an example of how to run a club well. Years of sensible hiring and spending took the club from the third tier up to the Premier League. Now that's all been undone.

Posted By: Cellophane Flowers, May 5, 09:25:23