Mark Bowen

[windermereROYAL]

Can the EFL step in at all? Surely they can't just let an owner abandon a club

They did with Wigan.

[NathStPaul]

There is no evidence to suggest he has abandoned the club other that made up journalists reporting their opinions as facts in order to get Twitter interactions. When the big outlets start reporting it then there might be more to it.

[Snowflake Royal]

There presumably is a point where an owner could be barred from being an owner and ordered to leave or the club is kicked out the league.

And there is possibly a legal process to force compulsory sale or transfer of ownership. But that bar is likely extremely high and may need Gov intervention.

Most regulation is basically managed through consent and desire to avoid consequences. If someone just ignores you, there's not much you can do that isn't a very lengthy and expensive legal process that you have to go through lengthy steps before even beginning.

[Forbury Lion]

A new structure has been set up relying upon Bowen, who is on bereavement leave.

It makes sense knowing this as it explains why Bowen is understandably silent at this time.
The club possibly should have issued a statement that of some sort here to reassure fans and other investors.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Can the EFL step in at all? Surely they can't just let an owner abandon a club

They did with Wigan.

They can't. The legal route is administration. A creditor can submit a winding up petition, at which point a court can appoint an administrator with authority to find a new buyer. Where my understanding is less clear is how they agree a sale if Dai is AWOL. For external creditors, the administrators can agree a deal to help the sale (e.g., 25p to the £), but the biggest creditor is Dai himself, so if he is simply unreachable I don't know whether administrators can simply close a deal without his agreement. It may be that the debt he has issued has very little protection; it is unsecured and would come after wages, third parties etc.

[SCIAG]

Can the EFL step in at all? Surely they can't just let an owner abandon a club

They should deduct points.

6 points for having a director's father die.

Another 6 for having an owner persecuted by a hostile foreign state.

That will teach us.

[Hound]

There is no evidence to suggest he has abandoned the club other that made up journalists reporting their opinions as facts in order to get Twitter interactions. When the big outlets start reporting it then there might be more to it.

We offered new contacts about a month ago. We’re still paying the wages and the rent. Sounds like the owner has just pumped a load of cash into the club

The Twitter stuff is a little worrying but no more than that atm.

[RoyalBlue]

Can the EFL step in at all? Surely they can't just let an owner abandon a club

To issue the coup de grâce?

They started this whole mess by approving an owner who had been rejected as unsuitable by the EPL. They said that they would keep him under a higher level of scrutiny but then seemed to spend all their time looking in a different direction until we were already in a position whereby they could take severe sanctions against us!

[Elm Park Kid]

As long as the club isn't breaking any official rules then the EFL can't intervene just because the owners might not be that engaged. With our private ownership model, the club belongs to the owners the same way that their car does. IF they decided to neglect it and let it 'rust' then that is there right and no one else can stop them (assuming they are meeting financial obligations).

[WestYorksRoyal]

As long as the club isn't breaking any official rules then the EFL can't intervene just because the owners might not be that engaged. With our private ownership model, the club belongs to the owners the same way that their car does. IF they decided to neglect it and let it 'rust' then that is there right and no one else can stop them (assuming they are meeting financial obligations).

Tbf if you abandon a vehicle at the side of the road the police tow it.

[South Bank Den]

There presumably is a point where an owner could be barred from being an owner and ordered to leave or the club is kicked out the league.

And there is possibly a legal process to force compulsory sale or transfer of ownership. But that bar is likely extremely high and may need Gov intervention.

Most regulation is basically managed through consent and desire to avoid consequences. If someone just ignores you, there's not much you can do that isn't a very lengthy and expensive legal process that you have to go through lengthy steps before even beginning.

I think they did this with a consortium Mr Dai Yonge was part of trying to take over Hull and they weren't allowed a look in,

So how he became Reading owner is a good question especially given his supposed previous clubs he left in tatters.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Can the EFL step in at all? Surely they can't just let an owner abandon a club

To issue the coup de grâce?

They started this whole mess by approving an owner who had been rejected as unsuitable by the EPL. They said that they would keep him under a higher level of scrutiny but then seemed to spend all their time looking in a different direction until we were already in a position whereby they could take severe sanctions against us!

That's something that I have always found a bit daft, they managed to allow them to complete the takeover of ourselves, which the PL said they were "cautious" about, even after they were previously rejected previously by the PL.

Nothing stops anybody from sorting themselves out and being eligible to then buy a football club, but for the PL to say afterwards that they were "cautious" about the takeover along with what we have seen happen in the last 5/6 years, there just seems to be a lack of accountability in the EFL.

As you say, being cautious and keeping people under a high level of scrutiny and then seeing the fans suffer in the way we have because of mismanagement that other people were cautious about just seems silly. Surely they can look to put things in place so situations similar to these do not happen again.

[From Despair To Where?]

There is no evidence to suggest he has abandoned the club other that made up journalists reporting their opinions as facts in order to get Twitter interactions. When the big outlets start reporting it then there might be more to it.

That's entirely my take on it. I've not seen even a sniff of a story in any of the usual reliable sources and you'd think they'd pick up on it pretty quick if there was any credence in it. Until I do, I won't lose a wink of sleep.

[Forbury Lion]

There presumably is a point where an owner could be barred from being an owner and ordered to leave or the club is kicked out the league.

And there is possibly a legal process to force compulsory sale or transfer of ownership. But that bar is likely extremely high and may need Gov intervention.

Most regulation is basically managed through consent and desire to avoid consequences. If someone just ignores you, there's not much you can do that isn't a very lengthy and expensive legal process that you have to go through lengthy steps before even beginning.

I think they did this with a consortium Mr Dai Yonge was part of trying to take over Hull and they weren't allowed a look in,

So how he became Reading owner is a good question especially given his supposed previous clubs he left in tatters.

Premier League presumably have tighter controls over ownership.
I guess the way in is to buy a Championship team and get yourself promoted to the Premier League, They then can't really stop an existing owner from being the owner.

[On Strings]

There presumably is a point where an owner could be barred from being an owner and ordered to leave or the club is kicked out the league.

And there is possibly a legal process to force compulsory sale or transfer of ownership. But that bar is likely extremely high and may need Gov intervention.

Most regulation is basically managed through consent and desire to avoid consequences. If someone just ignores you, there's not much you can do that isn't a very lengthy and expensive legal process that you have to go through lengthy steps before even beginning.

I think they did this with a consortium Mr Dai Yonge was part of trying to take over Hull and they weren't allowed a look in,

So how he became Reading owner is a good question especially given his supposed previous clubs he left in tatters.

Premier League presumably have tighter controls over ownership.
I guess the way in is to buy a Championship team and get yourself promoted to the Premier League, They then can't really stop an existing owner from being the owner.

ISTR the PL not liking Zingarevich but not being able to stop the takeover. Sadly the ELF aren't as diligent.

[tmesis]

So how he became Reading owner is a good question especially given his supposed previous clubs he left in tatters.

both folded after he bought us, so you can't blame the EFL for not taking that into consideration.

[windermereROYAL]

Can the EFL step in at all? Surely they can't just let an owner abandon a club

They did with Wigan.

They can't. The legal route is administration. A creditor can submit a winding up petition, at which point a court can appoint an administrator with authority to find a new buyer. Where my understanding is less clear is how they agree a sale if Dai is AWOL. For external creditors, the administrators can agree a deal to help the sale (e.g., 25p to the £), but the biggest creditor is Dai himself, so if he is simply unreachable I don't know whether administrators can simply close a deal without his agreement. It may be that the debt he has issued has very little protection; it is unsecured and would come after wages, third parties etc.

I meant they let the owner walk away.

[Snowflake Royal]

They did with Wigan.

They can't. The legal route is administration. A creditor can submit a winding up petition, at which point a court can appoint an administrator with authority to find a new buyer. Where my understanding is less clear is how they agree a sale if Dai is AWOL. For external creditors, the administrators can agree a deal to help the sale (e.g., 25p to the £), but the biggest creditor is Dai himself, so if he is simply unreachable I don't know whether administrators can simply close a deal without his agreement. It may be that the debt he has issued has very little protection; it is unsecured and would come after wages, third parties etc.

I meant they let the owner walk away.

What power do they have to stop that?

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Twitter been in meltdown today due to a former Chronic journo, who was usually well wide of the mark, basically saying Dai has deserted the club.

That's just after pumping in £6m.....

[Hound]

As regards the fit and proper test, incompetent as he is, he has pumped into 180m, paid sky high wages, kept ST tickets low, overseen a new training ground.

Even in retrospect the EFL would laugh out any case about him being a fit and proper owner. He’s just a muppet who has made some woeful decisions