The phoenix club thread

[WestYorksRoyal]

This is popping up all over the place so worth having a thread on it.

How would we get investment in to get it off the ground? Fan led, or some key investors to rely upon?

Where the hell would we play? What's a reasonable attendance target? I think 5k - 8k or so is reasonable even at the bottom for a phoenix of our size.

What's a reasonable timeline to target NL / L2?

Could any ex Reading legends get involved? One final DoF gig for McDermott, given Hibs looks like it's going to shit?

Could we even merge with an existing local NL team, or is that idea a turn off? Destroying another club with us?

[WestYorksRoyal]

How do I edit the title ?

[Stockport Royal]

I reckon Peter Kay will have the answer to most of your questions.

[blythspartan]

I do have money set aside for this, but when we finally get dissolved I honestly won’t have any appetite left for football whatsoever.

I will have over 50 years of memories some great and some not so good and that’ll be enough for me. If I watch any sport it’ll probably be the Royal Wootton Bassett rugby team and a couple of family members who are boxers. Plus, I am partial to American football.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Any new club won’t be Reading fc so I’m out

[Sutekh]

If this is what happens, please god just DO NOT call any new club AFC Reading!

[tmesis]

If this is what happens, please god just DO NOT call any new club AFC Reading!

I couldn't agree more. It sounds dreadful.

[Snowball]

Any new club won’t be Reading fc so I’m out

I can't dispute what is your opinion, but my own experience with
Newport County began with me thinking as you do, but, ultimately,
I became MORE of a fan, more involved, and more committed, than
before the crash.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Take inspiration from 1860 Munchen - 1871 Reading?

[BraisingsteakRoyal]

I do have money set aside for this

How much are we talking? What's your regular disposable?

Will you be able to fund the signing of the East Berkshire Premier League equivalent of Pavel Pogrebnyak?

[Hendo]

I do have money set aside for this

How much are we talking? What's your regular disposable?

Will you be able to fund the signing of the East Berkshire Premier League equivalent of Pavel Pogrebnyak?

"Big fucking bricky, we've got a big fucking bricky, big fucking briiiiiiiiiicky"

[Snowflake Royal]

I do have money set aside for this, but when we finally get dissolved I honestly won’t have any appetite left for football whatsoever.

I will have over 50 years of memories some great and some not so good and that’ll be enough for me. If I watch any sport it’ll probably be the Royal Wootton Bassett rugby team and a couple of family members who are boxers. Plus, I am partial to American football.

If we could work out the details in a unified way and someone 'reliable' like STAR led and could maybe get the likes of Howe involved.

Then I'd probably chuck in £2/3k.

If its a disorganised shambles led by SBWD, I'm not trusting them with my money.

[East Grinstead Royal]

Completely agree that AFC Reading would be horrible. 1871 Reading would be good, a permanent reminder of the original club.

I certainly understand the feeling that it wouldn’t be the same club, but giving up following football seems like allowing Dai to win. The best possible response, if Dai causes the club to fold, would be to support the phoenix club. Every promotion would be a two-fingered salute in his direction. Every full away end would be proof that he hasn’t killed the spirit of the club. Most phoenix clubs seem to rise several levels quite quickly, but none have done as well as Wimbledon. With the level of support that a Reading phoenix club could garner, eclipsing Wimbledon’s achievement should be possible. As others have said, though, the most important issue is sorting out a home ground.

Does anyone know what rationale is used for deciding the level at which a phoenix club joins the pyramid? Hereford and Wimbledon both joined at the ninth tier, but presumably some thought has to be given to the likely level of support, particularly for away games. Should a Reading phoenix club enter at the ninth tier, it would probably be playing against Reading City. Almost every game would be a local derby.

[Sutekh]

Completely agree that AFC Reading would be horrible. 1871 Reading would be good, a permanent reminder of the original club.

I certainly understand the feeling that it wouldn’t be the same club, but giving up following football seems like allowing Dai to win. The best possible response, if Dai causes the club to fold, would be to support the phoenix club. Every promotion would be a two-fingered salute in his direction. Every full away end would be proof that he hasn’t killed the spirit of the club. Most phoenix clubs seem to rise several levels quite quickly, but none have done as well as Wimbledon. With the level of support that a Reading phoenix club could garner, eclipsing Wimbledon’s achievement should be possible. As others have said, though, the most important issue is sorting out a home ground.

Does anyone know what rationale is used for deciding the level at which a phoenix club joins the pyramid? Hereford and Wimbledon both joined at the ninth tier, but presumably some thought has to be given to the likely level of support, particularly for away games. Should a Reading phoenix club enter at the ninth tier, it would probably be playing against Reading City. Almost every game would be a local derby.

Depends where a space can be conveniently found with least "disruption" so it would likely be tier 9/10. Bury and Macclesfield both started at Tier 9 (NWCLPremier) which, down here, would equate to the Hellenic Premier or, more likely, the CCL Premier North with progression being most likely up through the Isthmian South & Central followed by the Southern League Premier South (same route as Bracknell have taken).

But let's hope the club can hang on in there and get away with, at worst, just reaching tier 4 rather than tiers 9 and 10.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Looking at AFC Wimbledon's rise, they had an insane multi season run of 78 games unbeaten as they won back to back titles. Not sure how fun that sounds; you need jeopardy and a sense of achievement. You'd just want to get through the 7th, 8th and 9th tiers as quickly as possible.

[Esteban]

If this is what happens, please god just DO NOT call any new club AFC Reading!

There's already a local club called AFC Reading anyway

[Green]

I do have money set aside for this, but when we finally get dissolved I honestly won’t have any appetite left for football whatsoever.

I will have over 50 years of memories some great and some not so good and that’ll be enough for me. If I watch any sport it’ll probably be the Royal Wootton Bassett rugby team and a couple of family members who are boxers. Plus, I am partial to American football.

If we could work out the details in a unified way and someone 'reliable' like STAR led and could maybe get the likes of Howe involved.

Then I'd probably chuck in £2/3k.

If its a disorganised shambles led by SBWD, I'm not trusting them with my money.

Agree in that I'd need to have confidence in the new outfit before investing, but for me the bar is somewhat higher than STAR and Nigel f*cking Howe. That lot couldn't organise a piss up in brewery.

[Snowball]

Looking at AFC Wimbledon's rise, they had an insane multi season run of 78 games unbeaten as they won back to back titles. Not sure how fun that sounds; you need jeopardy and a sense of achievement. You'd just want to get through the 7th, 8th and 9th tiers as quickly as possible.

I hear you but it was nice-while-it-lasted
to be a big fish in the lower leagues

Reading would be MASSIVE!

Almost every good thing Newport County/AFC-wise has been since
their demise and re-birth in 1988-89

Not sure I'd agree Wimbledon have done better than Newport

They are currently five points apart with Newport
having a game in hand and Newport have been to Wembley
five times since they reformed.

Newport AFC

Started in Hellenic league and won double

NEWPORT AFC at Wembley

2012 FA Trophy (Lost 2-0 to York)
2013 Conference PO Final (Won 2-0 v Wrexham)
2018 FA Cup Replay (Lost 2-0 to Spurs)
2019 League 2 PO Final (Lost 1-0 to Tranmere in 119th Minute)
2021 League 2 PO Final (Lost 1-0 to Morecambe 107 Min Pen)

FA Cup Giant-Killing

2001-02

2-2 Draw at Blackpool in First Round of FA Cup
1-1 after 90 minutes at home, lost 1-4 in extra time

2016

Reached FA Cup third round. Lost 2-1 to Blackburn

2017

Made Third Round. Beat Leeds (Championship) 2-1 in FA Cup

4th Round. Drew 1-1 with Spurs at home (Lost 2-0 at Spurs/Wembley

2018

Made Third Round. Beat Premier league Leicester City 2-1

Fourth Round - drew 1-1 at Middlesbrough, won 2-0 at home

Fifth round, lost 1-4 to Manchester City

2020-21

Beat Watford 3-1 in third round of EFL Cup

Fourth Round drew 1-1 with Newcastle, lost on penalties

In FA Cup drew 1-1 in 3rd round with Brighton after ET, lost on penalties

2023

Second Round 1-1 draw with premiership brentford, lost on pens.

2024

Made 4th round of FA Cup, losing 4-2 to Manchester United

[stealthpapes]

Take inspiration from 1860 Munchen - 1871 Reading?

like this one.

[stealthpapes]

Completely agree that AFC Reading would be horrible. 1871 Reading would be good, a permanent reminder of the original club.

I certainly understand the feeling that it wouldn’t be the same club, but giving up following football seems like allowing Dai to win. The best possible response, if Dai causes the club to fold, would be to support the phoenix club. Every promotion would be a two-fingered salute in his direction. Every full away end would be proof that he hasn’t killed the spirit of the club. Most phoenix clubs seem to rise several levels quite quickly, but none have done as well as Wimbledon. With the level of support that a Reading phoenix club could garner, eclipsing Wimbledon’s achievement should be possible. As others have said, though, the most important issue is sorting out a home ground.

Does anyone know what rationale is used for deciding the level at which a phoenix club joins the pyramid? Hereford and Wimbledon both joined at the ninth tier, but presumably some thought has to be given to the likely level of support, particularly for away games. Should a Reading phoenix club enter at the ninth tier, it would probably be playing against Reading City. Almost every game would be a local derby.

Depends where a space can be conveniently found with least "disruption" so it would likely be tier 9/10. Bury and Macclesfield both started at Tier 9 (NWCLPremier) which, down here, would equate to the Hellenic Premier or, more likely, the CCL Premier North with progression being most likely up through the Isthmian South & Central followed by the Southern League Premier South (same route as Bracknell have taken).

But let's hope the club can hang on in there and get away with, at worst, just reaching tier 4 rather than tiers 9 and 10.

When I looked, CCL Premier North looked most likely for a low-down starting point.

This season:

Ardley United
Bedfont Sports
Broadfields United
Burnham
Chalfont St Peter
Edgware & Kingsbury
Egham Town
Flackwell Heath
Harefield United
Hilltop
Holyport
Milton United
North Greenford United
Rayners Lane
Reading City
Risborough Rangers
Virginia Water
Wallingford & Crowmarsh
Wembley
Wokingham & Emmbrook

Then, as said, Isthmian SC, Isthmian Premier, National League South.