Former Reading chief executive Nigel Howe has lodged a winding-up petition against the club, reopening serious concerns just months after a long-awaited change of ownership, as reported by the Reading Chronicle.
Howe, who worked closely with former owner Dai Yongge during the latter stages of his tenure, is reportedly attempting to liquidate Reading FC less than a year after Yongge was forced out.
The development was first reported by The Telegraph and represents another destabilising moment for a club that has spent several seasons battling financial uncertainty.
When approached for comment, Reading confirmed the existence of a dispute but strongly denied the claim. In a club statement, Reading said:
“Reading Football Club confirms that it is in an ongoing dispute with Mr Nigel Howe. The Club denies any claims made against it.
“Given the ongoing dispute and potential legal proceedings, the Club will not be making any further comment at this time.”
The petition comes during a delicate rebuilding phase for the Royals. The club was taken over in May by former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig and Todd Trosclair via their investment vehicle, Redwood Holdings, bringing an end to Dai Yongge’s deeply unpopular ownership.
Howe, a property developer by trade and the nephew of former England coach Don Howe, worked alongside Yongge during the sale process. His role covered a period in which Reading were operating under English Football League restrictions, including transfer embargoes and Salary Cost Management Protocol limits.
Yongge’s poison ownership
During Yongge’s ownership, Reading fell sharply down the Football League pyramid, sliding from Championship promotion hopefuls to the brink of League Two. Financial problems became a constant theme, with staffing cuts, budget restrictions and repeated EFL interventions dominating headlines.
Following the takeover, the supporters group Sell Before We Dai issued a strongly worded statement welcoming the change in ownership, reflecting on the damage done during the previous era. They said:
“We are incredibly relieved and happy that Reading Football Club are finally under new ownership. It’s a day which we thought, at times, may never happen.
“In the eight years of the Dai Yongge era, every single element of our club went backwards. The first team were relegated, the women’s team were essentially folded and staff were made redundant as every operational element of the club was cut back to the bare bones.
“Those who remained were forced to work with tight budgets and under immense pressure. Sometimes they weren’t even sure if they’d be paid at the end of the month. Today is a day for celebration and that starts by welcoming Rob Couhig. Thank you for not giving up on us, thank you for saving our 153-year-old club from oblivion.”
While the new ownership has prioritised stability and credibility, the emergence of a winding-up petition inevitably raises fresh uncertainty given Reading’s recent history. The club insists it will contest the claim.
More woe for Reading
Whatever the veracity of these claims, it’s the sort of headline Reading fans hoped they’d moved away from.
The post-Yongge era was meant to be a new dawn, but poor performances on the pitch have not matched the uplift in mood in the stands. Headlines such as this, which may or may not prove problematic, are a nasty reminder to Royals fans that there is still some way to go before they’re fully out of the woods.
