Is anyone else seeing this as an opportunity to set up an independent soccer school run by GA & Dobbo, similar to the Glenn Hoddle school of old?
Picking up players, discarded by the Premier League Academy system, and turning them into saleable assets for the mutual benefit of both Reading & Wycombe.
This is all very strange. (Perhaps we need a Marlow Bistro spy to keep their ears to the ground?)
I thought the Marlow facilities were reported to be quite good. Once he's been checked out by the all-powerful EFL Fit and Proper Oligarch Test, I would rather he bought out Rob for £3 million and used the £22 million left to improve AP and get us an access road/chairlift.
Then again, that's probably why I haven't got £25 million.
The last Q&A I went to everyone around me was talking so loud and not listening - I felt it was quite insulting - so I could not hear questions or answers...and it it was so close to kick off, I left the suite.
There seem to be a few people who list what should be asked if anyone had a spine...bemoan what should have been asked if anyone there had a spine...but don't actually seem to turn up and ask themselves.
A training ground share does seem less objectionable than a ground share, which the pnl are comtemplating in the short term.
However there are all sorts of questions about ownership, will there be a meaningful financial cost to generating a shed load of bad feeling, and what does it mean for the future sustainability of both clubs involved?
Wycombe have been searching for their own training facility since being priced out of a deal to buy the Marlow Road site they lease from a three-man consortium. They have trained on local 4G pitches when the facility in Marlow has been flooded and could move into Reading’s site in the summer
Priced out of the Marlow Road facility yet able to afford £25m? How much was Uncle Ivor asking?!
I imagine Rob Couhig is priced out of buying Marlow Road.
I doubt Lomtadze is priced out of buying Bearwood.
These statements are not incompatible, not least given the Marlow Rd inquiries probably came about before Lomtadze was on the scene.
I am still intrigued to know why this is being linked to Wycombe given Lomtadze doesn't have any kind of declared role in the club other than having made a loan. Unless that loan is c.£25m the purchase of Bearwood won't be through Feliciana.
Yet clearly haven't got much money knocking about having cut the budget, and seen not even the slightest evidence that we can back up the Couhig's wild proclamations about new roads, Marlow, fixing roofs and toilets and building new stands!?
Just that second our club have out a statement out about all this confirming this! And dressed up as hoping this sale allows Reading to get back on an even keel!
I believe Feliciana obtained a bridge loan, saved some of the money and spent a portion in January. She has now been offered a board position that is subject to approval by the EFL due to her investment in Felciana Ltd. As Rob as sole director now would not have funds otherwhise for Feliciana Ltd to buy Bearwood. Then some sort of restrcuture in club ownership once Lomtadze is up to speed with football.
Wycombe Wanderers can confirm they are engaged with Reading Football Club in expectation of the purchase of the Bearwood Park training facility.
Last weekend, the owner of Reading issued a public statement in which he announced that Bearwood Park – owned by Reading - was available for sale.
Wycombe Wanderers have been working for some years to either substantially upgrade their facility at Marlow Road or move to a facility that would allow for the necessary expansion and enhancements to meet their vision for the future.
The parties are moving forward on an exclusive basis with the expectation of completion. In the interim, Wycombe hope that if a transaction completes it will provide Reading with necessary financial support to ensure that they are able to meet their ongoing financial obligations.
Further updates will be communicated when available.
“In the interim, Wycombe hope that if a transaction completes it will provide Reading with necessary financial support to ensure that they are able to meet their ongoing financial obligations”
A lot of weight being carried by the word Hope there. Kinda depends which account the money is deposited into I guess.
When Reading realise we've stepped in to keep them going I'm sure the fans hearts will burst with gratitude and tomorrow's protest will turn into a love-in.
Appreciate there isn't much that can be said until a deal is done, but that statement does us absolutely no favours. We do not look like the good guys here. Quite concerning.
Looking at the flypast, it looks clearly big enough for two Lg1 clubs to share.
The question of where the feck Wycombe Wanderers gets £25m, even £20m , even £15m from remains. And if, as it surely must, Lomtadze, why would he want to spend that much on a training ground.
Something is afoot here. Buggered if I can work out what however.
Mr Dai can confirm he is in talks with Wycombe Wanderers Football Club Limited regarding the sale of Bearwood Park.
Chief Executive Dayong Pang said, "Whilst an agreement is not yet finalised, both parties will move forward with the process exclusively. The proposed transaction will directly support the short-term funding of the club until a full sale can be concluded. Further updates, including possible options for an alternative training facility, will be communicated when appropriate.”
Comments
Is anyone else seeing this as an opportunity to set up an independent soccer school run by GA & Dobbo, similar to the Glenn Hoddle school of old?
Picking up players, discarded by the Premier League Academy system, and turning them into saleable assets for the mutual benefit of both Reading & Wycombe.
A win, win, win, win scenario.
For what it's worth, this has made The Guardian.
This is all very strange. (Perhaps we need a Marlow Bistro spy to keep their ears to the ground?)
I thought the Marlow facilities were reported to be quite good. Once he's been checked out by the all-powerful EFL Fit and Proper Oligarch Test, I would rather he bought out Rob for £3 million and used the £22 million left to improve AP and get us an access road/chairlift.
Then again, that's probably why I haven't got £25 million.
There are a lot of very well informed people about today, both on here and on social media.
Any chance someone will point me in the direction of the facts that are being spoken about. Until then I’ll put my pitchfork away.
Is this really Wycombe buying Reading’s training ground?
Or simply a billionaire who has a seat on our board cashing in and picking up an asset on the cheap?
The last Q&A I went to everyone around me was talking so loud and not listening - I felt it was quite insulting - so I could not hear questions or answers...and it it was so close to kick off, I left the suite.
There seem to be a few people who list what should be asked if anyone had a spine...bemoan what should have been asked if anyone there had a spine...but don't actually seem to turn up and ask themselves.
Absolutely.
A training ground share does seem less objectionable than a ground share, which the pnl are comtemplating in the short term.
However there are all sorts of questions about ownership, will there be a meaningful financial cost to generating a shed load of bad feeling, and what does it mean for the future sustainability of both clubs involved?
An interesting tidbit in the Graun article:
Wycombe have been searching for their own training facility since being priced out of a deal to buy the Marlow Road site they lease from a three-man consortium. They have trained on local 4G pitches when the facility in Marlow has been flooded and could move into Reading’s site in the summer
Priced out of the Marlow Road facility yet able to afford £25m? How much was Uncle Ivor asking?!
And be on the lookout for any Maybachs at Cressex Services
I wasn't around for the original shocker...but that is a shocker. I hope someone regularly spits into his corporate prawn sandwiches.
Rob : My credit good enough to buy you out?
Dai Yongge: Buy me out?
Rob : The training ground, the club. The Couhig Family wants to buy you out.
Dai Yongge : The Couhig Family wants to buy me out? No, I buy you out, you don't buy me out.
Rob : Your club loses money, maybe we can do better.
I imagine Rob Couhig is priced out of buying Marlow Road.
I doubt Lomtadze is priced out of buying Bearwood.
These statements are not incompatible, not least given the Marlow Rd inquiries probably came about before Lomtadze was on the scene.
I am still intrigued to know why this is being linked to Wycombe given Lomtadze doesn't have any kind of declared role in the club other than having made a loan. Unless that loan is c.£25m the purchase of Bearwood won't be through Feliciana.
Oh no that statement comes across terribly
Is there some crossed wires there. Because weren’t we looking for a site in Marlow around where the Marlow film studios was going?
This all sounds utterly ridiculous.
We're buying land for 25million?
Yet clearly haven't got much money knocking about having cut the budget, and seen not even the slightest evidence that we can back up the Couhig's wild proclamations about new roads, Marlow, fixing roofs and toilets and building new stands!?
Just that second our club have out a statement out about all this confirming this! And dressed up as hoping this sale allows Reading to get back on an even keel!
Club statement: https://www.wwfc.com/news/2024/march/14/club-statement-training-facility/
I believe Feliciana obtained a bridge loan, saved some of the money and spent a portion in January. She has now been offered a board position that is subject to approval by the EFL due to her investment in Felciana Ltd. As Rob as sole director now would not have funds otherwhise for Feliciana Ltd to buy Bearwood. Then some sort of restrcuture in club ownership once Lomtadze is up to speed with football.
The official club statement, just released, makes it sound like we’re planning to use Bearwood, rather than renting it back to Reading.
That’s mad.
Wycombe Wanderers can confirm they are engaged with Reading Football Club in expectation of the purchase of the Bearwood Park training facility.
Last weekend, the owner of Reading issued a public statement in which he announced that Bearwood Park – owned by Reading - was available for sale.
Wycombe Wanderers have been working for some years to either substantially upgrade their facility at Marlow Road or move to a facility that would allow for the necessary expansion and enhancements to meet their vision for the future.
The parties are moving forward on an exclusive basis with the expectation of completion. In the interim, Wycombe hope that if a transaction completes it will provide Reading with necessary financial support to ensure that they are able to meet their ongoing financial obligations.
Further updates will be communicated when available.
“In the interim, Wycombe hope that if a transaction completes it will provide Reading with necessary financial support to ensure that they are able to meet their ongoing financial obligations”
A lot of weight being carried by the word Hope there. Kinda depends which account the money is deposited into I guess.
When Reading realise we've stepped in to keep them going I'm sure the fans hearts will burst with gratitude and tomorrow's protest will turn into a love-in.
Hmmm....
I think it would be even madder for us to buy it and not use it.
i can only imagine some kind of shared agreement between the clubs and/or other plans afoot in regards to development/youth teams?
Or they can use Marlow Road
Appreciate there isn't much that can be said until a deal is done, but that statement does us absolutely no favours. We do not look like the good guys here. Quite concerning.
We can utilise a few pitches for our first team and 8 or 9 "development" players.
What are we going to do with the other 90,000 acres?
I wonder how many clubs have a training ground 30mins or so away from their home.
This is the start of our inexorably five year journey to the Champions League or the Isthmian League. There’s no in between. Good luck everyone.
To be fair, quite a lot of clubs. Arsenal train in Hertfordshire, Chelsea at Cobham etc
Looking at the flypast, it looks clearly big enough for two Lg1 clubs to share.
The question of where the feck Wycombe Wanderers gets £25m, even £20m , even £15m from remains. And if, as it surely must, Lomtadze, why would he want to spend that much on a training ground.
Something is afoot here. Buggered if I can work out what however.
Stamford Bridge to Cobham, and presumably most of the other London clubs
Reading release statement...
Mr Dai can confirm he is in talks with Wycombe Wanderers Football Club Limited regarding the sale of Bearwood Park.
Chief Executive Dayong Pang said, "Whilst an agreement is not yet finalised, both parties will move forward with the process exclusively. The proposed transaction will directly support the short-term funding of the club until a full sale can be concluded. Further updates, including possible options for an alternative training facility, will be communicated when appropriate.”
https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2024/march/14/Club-Statement-Proposed-Sale-of-Bearwood-Park/