The pitch

[Nezhen]

Anyone know if we will have our goalposts back in place for tomorrow's game ?.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Oh Lord save me, they actually think we don't own the stadium.

What is company A? I think they made that one up, they seem desperate to think that we are also tenants.

I always actually thought Mr Mad owned the stadium and we were just tenants!!

[bb0118]

Oh Lord save me, they actually think we don't own the stadium.

What is company A? I think they made that one up, they seem desperate to think that we are also tenants.

I always actually thought Mr Mad owned the stadium and we were just tenants!!

Surely being JMW, you of all people should know

[SpaceCruiser]

Oh Lord save me, they actually think we don't own the stadium.

What is company A? I think they made that one up, they seem desperate to think that we are also tenants.

I always actually thought Mr Mad owned the stadium and we were just tenants!!

Mr Mad owns Reading FC. Therefore Reading FC owns the stadium. When Mr Mad sells Reading FC, I think the Madejski Stadium will be part of the package.

And all this primacy of tenure bollocks, surely the owners of the stadium have every right to decide whether a rugby game can go ahead or not.

[Rawlie19]

Oh Lord save me, they actually think we don't own the stadium.

What is company A? I think they made that one up, they seem desperate to think that we are also tenants.

I always actually thought Mr Mad owned the stadium and we were just tenants!!

Mr Mad owns Reading FC. Therefore Reading FC owns the stadium. When Mr Mad sells Reading FC, I think the Madejski Stadium will be part of the package.

And all this primacy of tenure bollocks, surely the owners of the stadium have every right to decide whether a rugby game can go ahead or not.

How does that work then? So everything that Mr Mad owns Reading also own? Muppet.

[Platypuss]

I believe the "main" company is Reading Football Club (Holdings) Ltd, which is wholly owned by JM.

This holding company then has subsidiaries which include the club itself and the stadium business as separate concerns.

Well that's how I've always understood it; but it would be nice to see it laid out as clear as day by someone who knows for sure.

[Stranded]

Oh Lord save me, they actually think we don't own the stadium.

What is company A? I think they made that one up, they seem desperate to think that we are also tenants.

I always actually thought Mr Mad owned the stadium and we were just tenants!!

Mr Mad owns Reading FC. Therefore Reading FC owns the stadium. When Mr Mad sells Reading FC, I think the Madejski Stadium will be part of the package.

And all this primacy of tenure bollocks, surely the owners of the stadium have every right to decide whether a rugby game can go ahead or not.

Depends on the contract signed. We have rented the stadium to LI for use for rugby. On rugby days we have no say on whether the game goes ahead or not. Only the RFU or the ref of the game have that say.

[AndyRFC]

I heard a suspicious rumour that the drainage system is blocked and the club won't pay to have it unblocked hence all the surface water... hmmm

[M4 Junction 11]

I believe the "main" company is Reading Football Club (Holdings) Ltd

It's The Reading Football Club (Holdings) Plc. The company registered in 1897 is The Reading Football Club Ltd which I expect will own the stadium.

[andyhalls]

Technically, as far as I understand, Madejski owns the stadium, and leases it to the club, despite owning the club itself, it's pointless and confusing. But I remember seeing it in an article in a newspaper a few years back, as far as I know the situation is the same.

Therefore Reading F.C. are the primary tenants, and LI are secondary tenants, with RFC getting priority to use, naturally.

[MartinRdg]

Report on this is the Independent as well.

http://sport.independent.co.uk/rugby_union/article2137708.ece

Madejski row raises groundsharing fears
By Chris Hewett
Published: 09 January 2007
Rugby union has not heard the last of yesterday's postponed Guinness Premiership match between London Irish and Saracens at a waterlogged Madejski Stadium in Reading, partly because the game will have to be repositioned somewhere in a horribly crowded programme and partly because of widespread dissatisfaction at the way the fixture was called off.

Ashley Rowden, the referee, was placed under considerable pressure to make the decision because Reading FC were concerned that any rugby activity on a sodden surface would threaten tonight's rescheduled FA Cup tie with Burnley. Rowden has submitted a report to Premier Rugby, which runs the top-flight professional club game in England, and the Rugby Football Union's refereeing hierarchy. Details have not been divulged - Rowden himself was in full "no comment" mode yesterday - but no one on the rugby side of the divide was happy at the chain of events.

London Irish, who have a groundshare agreement until 2010 and are negotiating an extension, are playing the diplomatic card, but there is no disguising the anger of those who believe the football club acted beyond its brief by demanding the game be postponed. Rowden, who made a 9.30am inspection, had legitimate concerns over the state of the surface and the prospect of more rain. He was more troubled by a feeling of being railroaded.

The FA Cup tie had been called off 10 minutes before kick-off the previous day, after which Steve Coppell, the Reading manager, expressed his displeasure at the continuing groundshare arrangement. "Obviously, I'd be happier if there wasn't a rugby club sharing the ground," he said. "You don't need a tremendous surface to play rugby, but you do need a fairly flat pitch, hopefully with a bit of grass on it, to play football." In other words, keep those rugger-buggers off my field.

Irrespective of what the Exiles may say in public, the incident will raise concerns over the nature of groundshare deals - over who holds primacy of tenure and how the relationship works when the two sports enter conflict-of-interest territory. Five Premiership teams - London Irish, Saracens, Wasps, Bristol and Sale - play their rugby at football stadiums (although Bristol's Memorial Ground is traditionally a union venue), and while each arrangement differs in its fine detail, there is widespread concern that football tells rugby what to do whenever it suits. There is even greater concern, particularly among the refereeing fraternity, that officials find themselves at the sharp end of such disputes.

[Huntley & Palmer]

I think RFC might have opened a whole can of worms here

[M4 Junction 11]

They would also be in trouble with the planning authorities as they say the stadium is owned by Reading FC

[Platypuss]

Someone must be able to do a quick Companies House search and nail this properly.

[zac naloen]

For oxf*rd sake, if that match had of gone ahead then the pitch would have been utterly trashed. Making the likely hood of matches in the future having to be postponed several times more likely... this should be obvious. It was in the interest of the owners of the club AND Rugby Union that the match be delayed. Anything else is just short sighted nonsense.

[SpaceCruiser]

They would also be in trouble with the planning authorities as they say the stadium is owned by Reading FC

Who's "They"?

[zac naloen]

Someone must be able to do a quick Companies House search and nail this properly.

You mean like this?


Reading FC head office = At The Madjeski Stadium


Reading Football club holdings = The same


I have no idea what this stuff means though in terms of ownership. iF anything at all.

[Archie's penalty]

The pitch should be ok for tonight and it seems like we're going to get drizzle (according to wikipedia this is lighter than light rain )

http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/pa ... 57,00.html

[West Stand Man]

Oh Lord save me, they actually think we don't own the stadium.

What is company A? I think they made that one up, they seem desperate to think that we are also tenants.

I always actually thought Mr Mad owned the stadium and we were just tenants!!

Mr Mad owns Reading FC. Therefore Reading FC owns the stadium. When Mr Mad sells Reading FC, I think the Madejski Stadium will be part of the package.

And all this primacy of tenure bollocks, surely the owners of the stadium have every right to decide whether a rugby game can go ahead or not.

Contracts my friend, contracts. The law is the law and that is that. If the contract doesn't state that the stadium owners can stop a game (and it is highly unlikely that such a restrictive clause would be acceptable) then it can only be down to the authorities (RFU/FA or Police for example).

[M4 Junction 11]

They would also be in trouble with the planning authorities as they say the stadium is owned by Reading FC

Who's "They"?

Reading FC