TAKEOVER *NOT* CONFIMRED

[WestYorksRoyal]

The thing with Saudi money is that they're so desperate to sports wash effectively, they actually make half decent owners.

It's a difficult one.

The way I see it, we're gone without new owners. So if the Saudi money makes you so uncommon you can't go, it's as you were.

I just don't know who else I would go to. Besides, Saudi money is all around our economy and its involvement in football is merely a symptom. And if you look at Manchester, the UAE involvement has been good for the city as well as the football club; the same looks like it'll happen in Newcastle. If we were a sportswashing project, the whole town would benefit.

Would also answer the question of who is willing to meet Dai's inflated asking price. The club is not a sensible business investment, but that wouldn't matter to a sportswashing enterprise backed by hundreds of billions. We all need to accept that whoever buys us will have some sort of non business intention or be an idiot.

[Snowflake Royal]

My problem is I want a club i can be unconflictedly proud of back. That's not really possible for me with Saudi sportswashing.

It's also the exact same situation with Dai. Money from a corrupt and repressive regime that's currently obssessed with football, but where the money could dry up quickly if the fad changes, or the owners run afoul of the Saudi authorities.

I thought the Saudi purchase of Newcastle was a disgrace and I'm not going to have a hypocritically different view just because its my club.

I also don't think a play thing for a ruch Saudi is likely to be run relatively sustainably and brick by brick, the way I want.

But we would at least have a club. Winning back my enthusiasm would be hard under those circumstances.

[Norfolk Royal]

It's utterly irrational, illogical and incomprehensible to us, but not to him.

He has invested a load of money and time into something, and now he wants a return on that investment.

He clearly has a price below which he won't sell and literally nothing that can be done will change that fact.

Whilst we might think "take the first decent offer you get, and get out cos otherwise you will be left with nothing" are missing the point; unless someone comes in and offers what he is asking (or very close to what he is asking) he simply won't sell.

If the club dies, he will think so what? He will take the view that he still owns the 2 most tangible assets (stadium and training ground) and at some point will sell them for close to what he wants.

Whether thats in the latter part of 2024, or in a couple of Years time, not a problem for him.

So the ONLY solution as I see it is that someone or some entity offers him what he wants otherwise thats that, probably in the Summer.

You hve diametrically opposed views in that statement.

1. He wants a return
2. If he doesn’t get what he wants he won’t sell

Those two positions are mutually exclusive

Also, if the scenario painted by Mr Angry were correct that DY is happy to let the club die in the expectation of being able to sell the training ground and stadium for a figure he would be happy with, it implies that actually owning Reading FC has no monetary value at all.

While that may be the case in a disaster scenario, surely it is added value for a buyer and DY must have calculated that.

[Stranded]

If the tweet from Eddie turns out to be true - and he usually has decent sources then whilst I would not be happy to be a front for Saudi money, it means we still have our club and the likelihood that we will actually be able to be a steady ship.

They obviously won't be able to go and spend like crazy as we can't spend on fees but it is a weird position to be in where the American side of the alleged party would be sane as the better half of the deal.

Simple really, if it is a choice between a Saudi owner or a non Saudi owner, then its the latter all day long. If its a choice between a Saudi owner and no club - then its a no brainer.

Surprised it took so long for a link to Saudi money to come up really, as if they return a club like ours to the PL in a few years time, that is the kind of sportwashing story they will love.

Anyway, no point getting ahead of ourselves, it may not happen - but nice to get some form of "positive news" - however will treat it as no more than a rumour until ink is dry on contracts.

[WestYorksRoyal]

My problem is I want a club i can be unconflictedly proud of back. That's not really possible for me with Saudi sportswashing.

It's also the exact same situation with Dai. Money from a corrupt and repressive regime that's currently obssessed with football, but where the money could dry up quickly if the fad changes, or the owners run afoul of the Saudi authorities.

I thought the Saudi purchase of Newcastle was a disgrace and I'm not going to have a hypocritically different view just because its my club.

I also don't think a play thing for a ruch Saudi is likely to be run relatively sustainably and brick by brick, the way I want.

But we would at least have a club. Winning back my enthusiasm would be hard under those circumstances.

I'm well at the stage of love the game hate the industry, but the latter isn't strong enough to overcome the former. Football has always been a big part of my life; I went to games with my family growing up and it was how I met a lot of my friends at school and uni. I can't just switch that off.

Ultimately the wider problems with the industry don't spoil the moments the game provides for me. Even Carlisle was a great day out the other week, and ownership problems can't ruin that day it sure as hell couldn't ruin a play off win or big FA Cup run.

I'd understand fans who choose to walk away and stop giving money to the club, but I'd also understand those who stay just as many have at Newcastle. A well run football club is a force for good in the community whatever the source of its funding, and if they could bring enjoyment back I would attend more often.

As for the sustainability point, if I had all the money in the world and wanted to build a sustainable club, it would look something like Newcastle are doing and City have done. They've become a genuine footballing superpower and it has mostly been built upon well thought out investment decisions aside from their early dalliance with signings like Robinho.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Changing topic, there must be a STAR meeting with Howe soon?

[leon]

Chinese money, Saudi Money, US money (US corps are normally far right in political outlook/funding) It's all the same. Owning a club needs hundreds of millions/billions and as we all know, football has entirely lost it's soul to money and the really quite unpleasant people who pursue and amass it.

Anyone thinking we're going to get bought by someone politically and morally acceptable is probably asking too much. I hate it, but well if the alternative is not having RFC?

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Changing topic, there must be a STAR meeting with Howe soon?

Yep its well overdue, several people on twitter have asked STAR

[Stranded]

Changing topic, there must be a STAR meeting with Howe soon?

Yep its well overdue, several people on twitter have asked STAR

The schedule was meant to be every Thursday but with flexability if things were going on - so next scheduled one is tomorrow.

[6ft Kerplunk]

And the Saudis only seem interested in high profile sports, so Reading would be an odd choice.

Yeah, this is what's puzzling me. Its not like we're a Championship side on the brink of the Premier League so why the interest. But then again I think that about anyone supposedly interested in buying us at the moment, just what is the appeal? You're basically saying you want to lose millions a year on the off chance we somehow get good enough to get to the Premier League where you might just about break even.

[Norfolk Royal]

Chinese money, Saudi Money, US money (US corps are normally far right in political outlook/funding) It's all the same. Owning a club needs hundreds of millions/billions and as we all know, football has entirely lost it's soul to money and the really quite unpleasant people who pursue and amass it.

Anyone thinking we're going to get bought by someone politically and morally acceptable is probably asking too much. I hate it, but well if the alternative is not having RFC?

Yes that's right. Even if we were owned by someone morally acceptable to most there would always be other issues which might not fit in with some people's moral compass. It may be that you don't like being sponsored by betting companies, or other culture war or moral issues which crop up from time to time might irk you, a Ched Evans scenario maybe.

End of the day, any misgivings one might have about the Saudi regime's policies on a range of issues would be largely peripheral, and in a geo political sense as it relates to a small football club are, matters to most fans who just want a club which is sustainable financially and provides entertainment.

[rabidbee]

Saudi Arabia apparently has 300,000 millionaires (according to Wikipedia), so it doesn't have to be billionaire prince who's looking to invest in the English third tier, might just be some retired wealthy petro-chem factotum.

[leon]

And the Saudis only seem interested in high profile sports, so Reading would be an odd choice.

Yeah, this is what's puzzling me. Its not like we're a Championship side on the brink of the Premier League so why the interest. But then again I think that about anyone supposedly interested in buying us at the moment, just what is the appeal? You're basically saying you want to lose millions a year on the off chance we somehow get good enough to get to the Premier League where you might just about break even.

Unless they own other clubs, and they want to link up in a eco system kind of way…..cant be for our erudite and urbane fanbase can it?

[Sutekh]

And the Saudis only seem interested in high profile sports, so Reading would be an odd choice.

Yeah, this is what's puzzling me. Its not like we're a Championship side on the brink of the Premier League so why the interest. But then again I think that about anyone supposedly interested in buying us at the moment, just what is the appeal? You're basically saying you want to lose millions a year on the off chance we somehow get good enough to get to the Premier League where you might just about break even.

Unless they own other clubs, and they want to link up in a eco system kind of way…..cant be for our erudite and urbane fanbase can it?

Probably plan to buy the club and merge it with "you can call me Al" and move to play games in Dubai under the name Saudi Valley Royals.

[Silver Fox]

Saudi Arabia apparently has 300,000 millionaires (according to Wikipedia), so it doesn't have to be billionaire prince who's looking to invest in the English third tier, might just be some retired wealthy petro-chem factotum.

This. I don't know who the alleged prospective buyer is, only Ian knows that sort of thing, but just because they're Saudis it doesn't automatically follow that they're part of the ruling journalist murdering family

[Stranded]

And the Saudis only seem interested in high profile sports, so Reading would be an odd choice.

Yeah, this is what's puzzling me. Its not like we're a Championship side on the brink of the Premier League so why the interest. But then again I think that about anyone supposedly interested in buying us at the moment, just what is the appeal? You're basically saying you want to lose millions a year on the off chance we somehow get good enough to get to the Premier League where you might just about break even.

From a sportwashing perspective?

Buy a fomer PL club who have hit bad times at the lowest possible price, Dai may be asking a silly amount but he'd ask more if we were in the Championship.

Use the vast available funds to improve the clubs standing, both on the pitch and facilities - i.e. look to finally expand stadium at the right time - return the club to the PL with an even better infrastructure and look to cement the club there.

As a sportwashing story, that would be pretty compelling - and there are only so many top level clubs that become available.

And if it happens, we may end up seeing a 42 year old Ronaldo in a Reading shirt in a couple of years

[Sutekh]

And the Saudis only seem interested in high profile sports, so Reading would be an odd choice.

Yeah, this is what's puzzling me. Its not like we're a Championship side on the brink of the Premier League so why the interest. But then again I think that about anyone supposedly interested in buying us at the moment, just what is the appeal? You're basically saying you want to lose millions a year on the off chance we somehow get good enough to get to the Premier League where you might just about break even.

From a sportwashing perspective?

Buy a fomer PL club who have hit bad times at the lowest possible price, Dai may be asking a silly amount but he'd ask more if we were in the Championship.

Use the vast available funds to improve the clubs standing, both on the pitch and facilities - i.e. look to finally expand stadium at the right time - return the club to the PL with an even better infrastructure and look to cement the club there.

As a sportwashing story, that would be pretty compelling - and there are only so many top level clubs that become available.

And if it happens, we may end up seeing a 42 year old Ronaldo in a Reading shirt in a couple of years

As he turns out at Scours Lane v Hilltop.

[Mr Angry]

I really think that if anyone believes that all it needs is someone to go to DY and say "we will take RFC, the stadium and training ground off your hands for £5M; that has to be better than nothing?" they are missing the point.

If that was the case, he would have sold up in November.

And the value add of RFC is in the calculation of the price; sadly, if DY thinks he can get the money he wants just from the stadium and training ground, that value is £1 or less. (As I said, it might appear illogical to us, but he doesn't see this as owning a football club, he sees it as owning a couple of assets that he wants to get a specific sum of money back for).

[72 bus]

Chinese money, Saudi Money, US money (US corps are normally far right in political outlook/funding) It's all the same. Owning a club needs hundreds of millions/billions and as we all know, football has entirely lost it's soul to money and the really quite unpleasant people who pursue and amass it.

Anyone thinking we're going to get bought by someone politically and morally acceptable is probably asking too much. I hate it, but well if the alternative is not having RFC?

Saudi money saves the club and Ian throws his toys and fukks off
Win Win

[From Despair To Where?]

Chinese money, Saudi Money, US money (US corps are normally far right in political outlook/funding) It's all the same. Owning a club needs hundreds of millions/billions and as we all know, football has entirely lost it's soul to money and the really quite unpleasant people who pursue and amass it.

Anyone thinking we're going to get bought by someone politically and morally acceptable is probably asking too much. I hate it, but well if the alternative is not having RFC?

To be honest, I'd be more concerned if someone like the Chick Fil A tried to buy us. He's proper pcunt. At least the Saudis make no bones about being Medieval