Surely a merger between the Chairboys and the Biscuitmen would result in the Chairmen, or perhaps the Biscuitboys depending on who is top amd who is bottom in the unseemly relationship.
Spending a huge amount less will help , that won't be popular but if they can get near20,000 gates regularly then L1 budgets shouldn't be a problem. Selling assets also. The entitled among them may be in for a shock.
Or maybe he just comes in, ensures Dai is gone, goes through a CVA process, shifts debts, slashes jobs, looks like the bad guy for a few months and then sells it on to an actual fan or investor for a profit.
Struggling to understand where Couhig fits into this potential purchase of Reading. Has he told us a pack of lies why he sold us.( age, travel etc) because he saw greater potential at Reading ( ground, training facilities, potential crowds). Why get a billionaire ‘ friend’ to buy us as opposed to helping Couhig buy a club with greater potential. Again, cannot understand.
I think we can all agree that Rob doesn't have the capital to buy Reading outright. He is clearly the face / leading member of a consortium that's (hopefully) going to buy Reading. If they are placing their trust in a bloke who has 5 years of English football ownership with a club that was making £3 million a year losses, then it's clear the people with the money have zero idea at running a football club.
However, we have no idea what Rob sold his 90% stake for? Do we even know what he paid for us in the first place?
I don’t think we can agree that at all, we have no idea of his personal wealth, how much he received from the sale of Wycombe or his intentions for Reading.
As stated earlier, the bit I can’t get is that Rob’s reason for leaving was he is getting older (75) and the travel was all getting too much for him and Missy.
I can see the attraction to Reading in that they have a big ground fit for Premier League football, they have a superb training facility with an established academy and they have a large catchment area. Also, the ground is right next to a major motorway.
However, they are very much in debt and that will take some sorting out. That task will take lots of time and money to get the finances back to somewhere near normal.
It will be really interesting to see if Rob is just the front man and he will disappear with a payoff for his time and expertise after a few months, or is he the main man and is taking this mighty task on. If it is the latter then I really think this may well have been planned prior to leaving WWFC. I sincerely hope not.
However, they are very much in debt and that will take some sorting out. That task will take lots of time and money to get the finances back to somewhere near normal.
Not a problem at all. Simply shift the debt over to HMRC and shaft them instead, problem solved! Ask @Raminpeace, then get promoted back to the Championship inside two years. 🤷♂️
Reading are edging towards the end of Dai Yongge’s turbulent reign with a much-needed takeover expected to be completed in the coming weeks. The former Wycombe owner Rob Couhig is poised to take control of the troubled League One club.
It is an intriguing move by Couhig, a 75-year-old American businessman, given he stepped down from Wycombe at the end of the past season, months after a move to buy Reading’s training ground collapsed. Couhig sold his 90% share in Wycombe to the Georgian billionaire Mikhail Lomtadze.
News of Couhig’s expected arrival will be welcomed by Reading, whose manager, the former Southampton coach Rúben Sellés, impressed in leading the club to safety last season. Reading finished 17th, nine points above the relegation zone. Couhig has met Reading staff in recent weeks and is said to be excited by the prospective takeover. Couhig purchased the majority shareholding of Wycombe in 2019 after talks broke down to buy Yeovil.
Reading’s women will play in the fifth tier next season after the club withdrew from the Championship, the second tier.
Did he ever actually say that though, or did we just assume that’s why he’s sold us on? I think it was always the plan to get us back onto our feet, financially in a better position, add value to the proposition and sell on again.
I think he’ll do that at Reading too to be honest.
This isn’t a dig at him because I do think we are better of Post Rob than Pre Rob, but it does seem a pretty standard 5 years investment cycle.
I’m most interested if Pete and Missy come along for the ride again. My gut says no with Pete but it’ll be interesting to see how the rest of the group he is fronting is.
Everything I remember him saying regarding selling always had enough wiggle room in it, and usually tied to the outside investment route, for him to legitimately claim he never said he was going to disappear for even because of his age.
As any good politician does, he said enough to point people in a direction without even giving the exact thing he is hoping/planning to do.
My prediction is WWFC were a proof of concept for his abilities and has made some good contacts who are interested in buy a club and he is going to spend his time facilitating that.
I can imagine a scenario when he was looking to sell us that he met with other people that turn down the chance to buy us, possibly because we’re “weren’t big enough”, whereas ML saw us as a blank sheet that would allow him to build things as he wants.
Harlington makes sense from an academy perspective to access the London Talent pool. Not sure the first team are necessarily better off being based there as opposed to Wokingham.
He’s gone up further in my estimation in continuing his association with them despite the abuse he got over Bearwood.
Personally I don’t think I would be subjective enough to take over the club if I were the one getting that level of abuse, without it being some kind of evil plan. But that’s probably why Rob is Rob and I am me.
Buys the club, gives lifetime bans to those who abused Pete and then sells ML the training ground hanging blankets with SOLD written on them from the gates that sort of evil plan.
Comments
Surely a merger between the Chairboys and the Biscuitmen would result in the Chairmen, or perhaps the Biscuitboys depending on who is top amd who is bottom in the unseemly relationship.
Spending a huge amount less will help , that won't be popular but if they can get near20,000 gates regularly then L1 budgets shouldn't be a problem. Selling assets also. The entitled among them may be in for a shock.
Or maybe he just comes in, ensures Dai is gone, goes through a CVA process, shifts debts, slashes jobs, looks like the bad guy for a few months and then sells it on to an actual fan or investor for a profit.
Boys2Men?
appalling as that would be I think their fan base is far wider than our own, we might end up needing that new stadium after all
I did wonder if an air biscuit is one step down the road to the old arse biscuit.
Struggling to understand where Couhig fits into this potential purchase of Reading. Has he told us a pack of lies why he sold us.( age, travel etc) because he saw greater potential at Reading ( ground, training facilities, potential crowds). Why get a billionaire ‘ friend’ to buy us as opposed to helping Couhig buy a club with greater potential. Again, cannot understand.
I think we can all agree that Rob doesn't have the capital to buy Reading outright. He is clearly the face / leading member of a consortium that's (hopefully) going to buy Reading. If they are placing their trust in a bloke who has 5 years of English football ownership with a club that was making £3 million a year losses, then it's clear the people with the money have zero idea at running a football club.
However, we have no idea what Rob sold his 90% stake for? Do we even know what he paid for us in the first place?
I don’t think we can agree that at all, we have no idea of his personal wealth, how much he received from the sale of Wycombe or his intentions for Reading.
Oi @Ed_, stop talking sense this is the Gasroom. We only do faux outrage at our own wild speculation here.
As stated earlier, the bit I can’t get is that Rob’s reason for leaving was he is getting older (75) and the travel was all getting too much for him and Missy.
I can see the attraction to Reading in that they have a big ground fit for Premier League football, they have a superb training facility with an established academy and they have a large catchment area. Also, the ground is right next to a major motorway.
However, they are very much in debt and that will take some sorting out. That task will take lots of time and money to get the finances back to somewhere near normal.
It will be really interesting to see if Rob is just the front man and he will disappear with a payoff for his time and expertise after a few months, or is he the main man and is taking this mighty task on. If it is the latter then I really think this may well have been planned prior to leaving WWFC. I sincerely hope not.
@Blue_since_1990
However, they are very much in debt and that will take some sorting out. That task will take lots of time and money to get the finances back to somewhere near normal.
Not a problem at all. Simply shift the debt over to HMRC and shaft them instead, problem solved! Ask @Raminpeace, then get promoted back to the Championship inside two years. 🤷♂️
https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/jul/09/reading-takeover-former-wycombe-owner-rob-couhig-dai-yongge
Reading are edging towards the end of Dai Yongge’s turbulent reign with a much-needed takeover expected to be completed in the coming weeks. The former Wycombe owner Rob Couhig is poised to take control of the troubled League One club.
It is an intriguing move by Couhig, a 75-year-old American businessman, given he stepped down from Wycombe at the end of the past season, months after a move to buy Reading’s training ground collapsed. Couhig sold his 90% share in Wycombe to the Georgian billionaire Mikhail Lomtadze.
News of Couhig’s expected arrival will be welcomed by Reading, whose manager, the former Southampton coach Rúben Sellés, impressed in leading the club to safety last season. Reading finished 17th, nine points above the relegation zone. Couhig has met Reading staff in recent weeks and is said to be excited by the prospective takeover. Couhig purchased the majority shareholding of Wycombe in 2019 after talks broke down to buy Yeovil.
Reading’s women will play in the fifth tier next season after the club withdrew from the Championship, the second tier.
The EFL declined to comment.
Did he ever actually say that though, or did we just assume that’s why he’s sold us on? I think it was always the plan to get us back onto our feet, financially in a better position, add value to the proposition and sell on again.
I think he’ll do that at Reading too to be honest.
This isn’t a dig at him because I do think we are better of Post Rob than Pre Rob, but it does seem a pretty standard 5 years investment cycle.
I’m most interested if Pete and Missy come along for the ride again. My gut says no with Pete but it’ll be interesting to see how the rest of the group he is fronting is.
I’m ready.
I'm not going to dig out the quotes but yes pretty sure he said very similar things.
It was along the lines of transatlantic travel was no fun, he was getting older, couldn’t pass on to Pete etc so a good time to move on.
Everything I remember him saying regarding selling always had enough wiggle room in it, and usually tied to the outside investment route, for him to legitimately claim he never said he was going to disappear for even because of his age.
As any good politician does, he said enough to point people in a direction without even giving the exact thing he is hoping/planning to do.
My prediction is that ML will own Reading in 5 years time
Through multiple subsidiaries I'm sure to get around owning two clubs in the same league.
If he is behind this then why did he buy us?
If we end up being the new home of the Reading Women's team I shall be posting some VERY satirical comments.
My prediction is WWFC were a proof of concept for his abilities and has made some good contacts who are interested in buy a club and he is going to spend his time facilitating that.
I can imagine a scenario when he was looking to sell us that he met with other people that turn down the chance to buy us, possibly because we’re “weren’t big enough”, whereas ML saw us as a blank sheet that would allow him to build things as he wants.
Maybe Rob will sell us the training ground when the dept becomes too much for him to handle.
I think we are better off with the training ground we now have.
In Rob's parting interview didn't he say "You'll probably be seeing me sooner than you think"?
We don’t own Harlington and it’s not as good as Bearwood. I do think Harrington is in a much better location though
Harlington makes sense from an academy perspective to access the London Talent pool. Not sure the first team are necessarily better off being based there as opposed to Wokingham.
According to the blanket boys forum we are unhappy with Rob possibly taking them over even to the extent of sour grapes , jilted even.
All I get is mild surprise and a little interest in how the deal if it goes through is financed .
I’m unhappy only because they don’t deserve him.
He’s gone up further in my estimation in continuing his association with them despite the abuse he got over Bearwood.
Personally I don’t think I would be subjective enough to take over the club if I were the one getting that level of abuse, without it being some kind of evil plan. But that’s probably why Rob is Rob and I am me.
Buys the club, gives lifetime bans to those who abused Pete and then sells ML the training ground hanging blankets with SOLD written on them from the gates that sort of evil plan.
Yes. And he meant every bit of it with a wry smile. I’m not surprised at the developing news in the slightest.