Fans of Reading and Wrexham AFC will stage a protest during the match between the two teams tomorrow night (March 11, 8pm ko) to draw attention to the ongoing ownership crisis that has left Reading in turmoil.
Organised by campaign group Sell Before We Dai, the protest will highlight the mismanagement of the club by current owners Dai Yongge and Dai Xi Liu, as well as the urgent need for wider change to protect all clubs in the football pyramid.
Since the Dai siblings took over Reading in May 2017, the club has suffered a dramatic decline:
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Points deductions, winding-up petitions and transfer embargoes due to financial mismanagement; failure to pay wages on time and in full; and 2022/23 accounts being overdue to HMRC by eight months
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Only five senior players are contracted beyond June 2025, raising serious concerns about squad stability
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The defunding of Reading FC Women, forcing them from the Championship (second tier) W to part-time football in the fifth tier
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An attempt to sell the Bearwood Park training ground to Wycombe Wanderers in March 2024 – a move prevented only by fan intervention and local council support
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Ongoing failure to sell the club, despite public claims it has been on the market for over 500 days and multiple potential buyers being unsuccessful
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The Dai siblings have also overseen the demise of Beijing Chengfeng and KSV Roeselare, both of which no longer exist
Tuesday’s match against Wrexham is a stark contrast between two clubs on very different trajectories. Wrexham, once on the brink of collapse, have been revitalised by owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who have invested in both the team and the community. Meanwhile, Reading fans are fighting to save their club from ceasing to exist.
Fans from both teams will gather outside the stadium holding a banner that reads: “We're tired of villains. Football clubs deserve heroes.” Some will wear Deadpool costumes, linking to Ryan Reynolds’ famous role.
– At the 18th minute (Reading have had 18 points deducted under Dai Yongge), fans will display two key banners:
“We’re tired of villains. Football clubs deserve heroes.”
“No community should lose their club.”
The Red Dragons can go clear in the automatic promotion race, on track for a third successive promotion, while they are managed by Royals legend Phil Parkinson.
