CONFRIMATION of the CONFIMRED

[WestYorksRoyal]

So STAR's minutes from the EFL meeting suggest possible progress, as does the Howe interview. But also suggests money from January will run out during March.

We're fast approaching sale or bust. Hopefully it happens this time.

[windermereROYAL]

But also suggests money from January will run out during March.

Where did this story come from?

[blythspartan]

So STAR's minutes from the EFL meeting suggest possible progress, as does the Howe interview. But also suggests money from January will run out during March.

We're fast approaching sale or bust. Hopefully it happens this time.

Knowing our luck, probably bust or at the best more points deductions.

Can we potentially still receive a fee advancement for a contracted player or someone in the academy? I’d even be prepared to donate some money in the hope of buying us more time.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

So STAR's minutes from the EFL meeting suggest possible progress, as does the Howe interview. But also suggests money from January will run out during March.

We're fast approaching sale or bust. Hopefully it happens this time.

The STAR report confirms that Dai is still providing minimum funding where needed so hopefully we can just about get through.

[WestYorksRoyal]

But also suggests money from January will run out during March.

Where did this story come from?

https://star-reading.org/notes-from-sta ... ruary-2024

Sounds like Howe is targeting late March/April to have a new owner in. So basically, huge month ahead

[windermereROYAL]

But also suggests money from January will run out during March.

Where did this story come from?

https://star-reading.org/notes-from-sta ... ruary-2024

Sounds like Howe is targeting late March/April to have a new owner in. So basically, huge month ahead

Some pretty grim reading there without the EFL ruling out us getting chucked out.

[Stranded]

Where did this story come from?

https://star-reading.org/notes-from-sta ... ruary-2024

Sounds like Howe is targeting late March/April to have a new owner in. So basically, huge month ahead

Some pretty grim reading there without the EFL ruling out us getting chucked out.

Well they can't rule it out can they, it's their last resort.

The thing that I find concerning is the comment made that the EFL rules only require proof of funding for now and that the club can be supported for the first 18 months. So, under their own rules, we could be back here in 18 months time when the new owner decides s/he has had enough.

[WestYorksRoyal]

https://star-reading.org/notes-from-sta ... ruary-2024

Sounds like Howe is targeting late March/April to have a new owner in. So basically, huge month ahead

Some pretty grim reading there without the EFL ruling out us getting chucked out.

Well they can't rule it out can they, it's their last resort.

The thing that I find concerning is the comment made that the EFL rules only require proof of funding for now and that the club can be supported for the first 18 months. So, under their own rules, we could be back here in 18 months time when the new owner decides s/he has had enough.

I can understand it. How can they guarantee an owner can keep going longer term like 3 years? They may lose interest, their other businesses may fail, they may die. There's no point looking too far ahead. And 18 months would give us a season without existential dread.

[windermereROYAL]

Just listened to Nigel Howe on the podcast, it would seem some prospective buyers are surprised they`re not getting the hotel too and some are concerned that we could lose all the car parking space when the royal elm park development finally starts, said he hoped they could buy that too, fukks sake how realistic is that?

[NathStPaul]

Just listened to Nigel Howe on the podcast, it would seem some prospective buyers are surprised they`re not getting the hotel too and some are concerned that we could lose all the car parking space when the royal elm park development finally starts, said he hoped they could buy that too, fukks sake how realistic is that?

People shouldn't be driving to games anyway, it is bad for the environment.

[PieEater]

Where did this story come from?

https://star-reading.org/notes-from-sta ... ruary-2024

Sounds like Howe is targeting late March/April to have a new owner in. So basically, huge month ahead

Some pretty grim reading there without the EFL ruling out us getting chucked out.

There's some strained logic in their decision making.

"The EFL noted that Reading FC is one of the first to be referred under this rule, which was updated in June 2023"

Aren't we the actual first.

The principle the EFL adopts when seeking to ensure future compliance and sporting integrity, is that future sporting sanctions for the same or similar breaches should be in excess of what has previously been imposed.

So even though we are the first to be punished under this new rule, they've decided an HMC breach it's the same as breaching another rule for late player wage payment and therefore cummulative for punishment.

Also bemused by

from an EFL perspective, Reading FC has taken a decision to assemble a squad at a certain level and based on the owner's position, has demonstrated it cannot now afford to maintain it

If many clubs are owner funded it doesn't matter if the wage bill is 100k a month or £1m if the owner decides not to pay it. I'd hope they would take into account what the wage bill is relative to other teams before deciding there is a sporting advantage. Their logic only works when clubs are self funding.

[Snowflake Royal]

https://star-reading.org/notes-from-sta ... ruary-2024

Sounds like Howe is targeting late March/April to have a new owner in. So basically, huge month ahead

Some pretty grim reading there without the EFL ruling out us getting chucked out.

There's some strained logic in their decision making.

"The EFL noted that Reading FC is one of the first to be referred under this rule, which was updated in June 2023"

Aren't we the actual first.

The principle the EFL adopts when seeking to ensure future compliance and sporting integrity, is that future sporting sanctions for the same or similar breaches should be in excess of what has previously been imposed.

So even though we are the first to be punished under this new rule, they've decided an HMC breach it's the same as breaching another rule for late player wage payment and therefore cummulative for punishment.

Also bemused by

from an EFL perspective, Reading FC has taken a decision to assemble a squad at a certain level and based on the owner's position, has demonstrated it cannot now afford to maintain it

If many clubs are owner funded it doesn't matter if the wage bill is 100k a month or £1m if the owner decides not to pay it. I'd hope they would take into account what the wage bill is relative to other teams before deciding there is a sporting advantage. Their logic only works when clubs are self funding.

Our wage bill is blatantly top 10 for the division, minimum.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Glad to hear Howe isn't putting together a slide deck / prospectus which allows investors to look at us like a real estate asset instead of a football club. That's what got us where we are. We need an owner who understands the meaning and importance of a football club (doesn't mean they have to be English).

[PieEater]

Our wage bill is blatantly top 10 for the division, minimum.

Yes our wage bill is probably top 5, I should have said SCMP.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I'd be interested to know how many of the 72 EFL clubs could stay afloat if their owner turned off the tap. 20? 10? So it does seem harsh to punish clubs for their owner losing interest.

That being said, the EFL is a representative body. The 72 vote for these rules, probably because they want an advantage. We're potentially a ticket for a very poor side to stay in L1, so if you're the owner of Cambridge or Shrewsbury then wouldn't you vote for those rules? And then what are the EFL to do buy enforce them? It just shows football can't govern itself as everyone is acting in self interest.

It also seems the EFL hope this will pressure Dai to sell; sell up or your asset depreciates. Well that is a very high stakes game of chicken that potentially ends in ruin for us. Were it to happen, the only right response from the incoming IREF would be to be a mother fcuking sledgehammer of a regulator and ensure heads roll.

[Snowflake Royal]

Nationalise football.

[RG30]

Mark Bowen said we had a top 3 wage bill budget on BBC Radio Berkshire earlier this season.

[tmesis]

Mark Bowen said we had a top 3 wage bill budget on BBC Radio Berkshire earlier this season.

That probably counts the academy as well though, as I doubt we have many players on big money.

With a (first team) squad as small as ours, we'd need to be paying well over the odds to have a high first team wage bill.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Mark Bowen said we had a top 3 wage bill budget on BBC Radio Berkshire earlier this season.

I think it was top three based on all outgoings, only us and Derby have cat one academies.

[Snowflake Royal]

Mark Bowen said we had a top 3 wage bill budget on BBC Radio Berkshire earlier this season.

That probably counts the academy as well though, as I doubt we have many players on big money.

With a (first team) squad as small as ours, we'd need to be paying well over the odds to have a high first team wage bill.

Big money for the Championship, absolutely not.

Big money for L1?

Most of Holmes, Yiadom, Wing, Smith, Knibbs, Button absolutely, maybe Azeez, maybe Mukairu. NGW would have been. McIntyre would have been.

Ejaria would have been on fairly good Championship money and we'd have had to cover a lot of it to terminate the contract. Carroll probably got a bit of a pay off.

Our first team squad also isn't small. It's about 22 now, and it was about 27 at the start of the season.