What On Earth Is Going On At Reading?

The best team the Championship has ever seen in the 2005-06 season, when they won promotion to the Premier League with a record breaking 106 points, Reading were regarded for more than two decades under John Madejski as one of the best run clubs in English football.
Since Madejski's departure in 2012 though, Reading have had three owners, 15 different managers, been put under a transfer embargo, and deducted six points for breaching EFL profit and sustainability rules.
In light of the news that the Royals are in line for another six point deduction this season, HITC Sevens takes at the chaos and mismanagement of Reading Football Club, the background of their Chinese ownership regime, and what the future might hold for the troubled Championship outfit.

[@chrissyboy2338]

I think Coventry City deserve a video, played at 4 different stadiums in the last 10 years, multiple administrations, falling to league 2, still receiving threats to be kicked out the ground as recently as December, but now fighting for the playoffs

[@karlosjeffers4791]

With the way things are going for Reading FC atm looks like HITC Sevens need to do a Part 2!

[@danielkarmy4893]

'Funny old life, isn't it?' - I just love that. It read, to me at least, very much as 'yeah, that prick's dead, what a shame, oh well, moving on'. I always considered Madejski the classic benevolent chairman, and one of the few examples I could think of where a person actually deserved a stadium being named in his honour.

[@ChrisMeerkat]

I was signed to Reading as a youth from 84-89... You think it's bad nowadays?!! 😂👍

[@dvdv8197]

I kept Reading about it and wondered the same thing!

[@jamescurtis6217]

Watched my first match at Elm Park back in 1954 and been through the ebb and flow of my beloved club ever since. Very good video, heartbreaking though it is.

[@martypines9704]

Profoundly depressing but very well made video Alfie. As someone who has lived through all of this it's easy to lose perspective. We've become a joke of a club, with dwindling attendences, and wildly inconsistent performances on the pitch. And that was before the expected points deduction. As ever, it's us, the fans, who suffer. I'll still be there even if we end up in the National League, just as long as the club survives. Just how many more clubs need to go through what we and others have before someone finally takes control of English football and returns it to us? Still, as we like to say around here, Cmn URZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[@truejacksonveep]

Ayyy! A Vito Mannone reference! That man is a Minnesota United legend for what he did for us in 2019. That was a year that was crazy, exhilarating, and almost perfect. What I would give to bring it back.

[@markmclauchlan2831]

Alfie, any chance of a video on how Mark Robins has taken Coventry from League 2 to chasing promotion to the Premier League? All on a shoe string budget and having to play outside of the city etc

[@seaniemc83]

As an Irish Reading fan, I've found your last two videos even more interesting than normal

[@altvctr]

Very good reading on the Reading situation 👏

[@Chartley1983]

As a Reading Fan I have been waiting for this video and thank you for putting your eyes over our club. It's difficult to describe the fall of our club and how it has been so badly run by many different owners since Madjeski moved on.

[@georgef822]

I'm not a Reading fan but live near Reading and It is a shame to see they are going through hard times. It has always been a great club from a community point of view and have always had that feeling whenever I've been to the stadium.

[@liamglenn8454]

As an Oxford Utd fan I can say the Robert Maxwell era could be a 30 minute video on its own. Interesting due to the Thames Valley royals saga most older Oxford fans dislike Reading however this has cooled for younger fans as we haven’t played in the same division for more than 30 years.

[@coyootje]

I'd love to see a video on Vitesse over here in the Netherlands. After being succesful for a few years as a Chelsea "satellite club" they've been in a rollercoaster the last few years with multiple owners and are now at the point where they basically can't exist without external funding and are possibly losing their stadium (and license) soon.

[@bababababababa6124]

My favourite thing about Reading in general is how Americans pronounce it 💀

[@theuncommentator]

Still hoping for a documentary about Gretna or the Nigerian Premier League too. Thanks for all the quality content though Alfie :)

[@Twinned_with_Jim]

Been waiting for this one for ages. Reading are my team and it’s heartbreaking how they used to be such a well run club to where they are now

[@MrSuxamethonium]

Thanks for putting this all together. As a Reading fan I appreciate seeing the information all linked together in one place, helps make sense of the current shit show.

[@DoctorBobson74]

Hey Alfie, I have been a subscriber for a long time and love a deep dive on a club like this. If you ever get time, the downward spiral of Birmingham City since winning the league cup 10 years ago would be a great topic. There's dodgy finances, failed takeovers, points deductions, protests and even an ongoing suspected arson case.