Reading ‘dying before fans’ eyes’ as players rely on microwave meals
How to rid a club of a ruinous owner who will not budge? As Reading fans poured on to the pitch in the 16th minute of their Sky Bet League One match against Port Vale last Saturday, a cry for help which ultimately forced the game to be abandoned, we saw the only answer left for an increasingly desperate group of supporters.
As further revelations of drastic cost-cutting measures at the club emerged this week, however, it was a question which reared its head at Westminster too, when the former government minister and lifelong Reading fan, Damian Green, quizzed Rick Parry, chairman of the EFL, at a hearing of the culture, media and sport select committee.
Reading Football Club, a once-prominent club that reached the Premier League just two decades ago, is now on the brink of collapse. Suffering under the management of a stubborn owner who refuses to yield, the club’s fans took drastic action during their match against Port Vale. Pouring onto the pitch, they unleashed a cry for help, resulting in the game’s abandonment.
These desperate measures come on the back of damning revelations regarding cost-cutting measures implemented by the club. One disturbing detail that has surfaced is the players’ reliance on microwave meals due to severe financial constraints. This revelation has sparked concerns about the deteriorating standards and well-being of the players.
At a hearing of the culture, media, and sport select committee, Damian Green, a former government minister and lifelong Reading fan, questioned Rick Parry, chairman of the English Football League (EFL), on the dire situation at Reading Football Club. Green sought answers regarding the club’s mismanagement and the lack of intervention from the EFL to protect the interests of the club and its supporters.
The dire financial state of Reading Football Club has become a matter of national concern. Fans, who were once buoyed by their team’s success in the Premier League, are now witnessing their beloved club wither away in front of their eyes. The reliance on microwave meals by players is just one example of the drastic cost-cutting measures implemented to keep the club afloat.
It’s heartbreaking to see the club I’ve supported my whole life descend into such chaos, expressed Damian Green during the committee hearing. The fans deserve better, and the EFL must take responsibility for allowing this situation to escalate to such a dire state.
Reading Football Club’s current predicament raises important questions about the responsibility of governing bodies in safeguarding the future of clubs and protecting the interests of passionate supporters. As the world of football grapples with financial challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, the plight of Reading serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of mismanagement and neglect.
Reading fans remain hopeful that their actions, both on and off the pitch, will serve as a wake-up call to the powers that be. The once-vibrant club, now languishing in League One, needs a lifeline to secure its future. The EFL has promised to investigate the situation further, but fans demand more concrete actions to remove the ruinous owner who brought their beloved club to the brink of extinction.
Whether the cries of Reading fans and the scrutiny brought by Damian Green will be enough to save the historic club from its demise remains uncertain. However, one thing is clear: the plight of Reading Football Club has become emblematic of the challenges faced by many clubs in today’s fiercely competitive and financially driven football landscape. The time for change and greater support for the true pillars of the beautiful game—the fans—has come.
