Analysis: Reading owner Dai Yongge needs scrutiny, not protesting supporters

It’s important fans don’t waste energy debating the rights and wrongs of the spectacular protest that brought a halt to Reading’s game against Port Vale on Saturday.

It was a cry for help and a last resort. There’s a helplessness and anger amongst fans, and this was their way of drawing attention to the plight.

Now it is over to the English Football League (EFL) and Dai.

The EFL needs to show some common sense when its panel meets to discuss punishments. Fines won’t be paid. A game behind closed doors reduces valuable funds. Points deductions harm the players and supporters, but won’t bother the owner.

After all, nobody in Reading has forgotten the EFL ratified Dai becoming the club’s owner back in 2017, at a time when the Premier League reportedly rejected him as fit and proper to carry out such a pivotal role in the local community.

Some pundits, local MPs and accountants think administration may now be the least bad option for the club.

Nobody in the English-speaking world knows Dai’s true motivations – running the club into the ground to maximise the real estate is a popular theory – but he is making it impossible for any potential buyers to get a deal done, and he is obviously keen to retain full control by preventing administrators from entering the stage.

Forensic accountants here, or in China, may come up with the solution. The EFL may be able to accelerate things.

Perhaps Dayong Pang, the club’s chief executive, will see sense. Maybe head of football operations Mark Bowen will be able to more effectively lobby the Chinese businessman.

Ultimately though, Dai still has a firm grip on the tiller as the club sails at increasing pace towards the rocks.