Billionaire Rangers boogeyman and former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is in talks to take over at fallen English League One club Reading.
According to the Athletic, Mike Ashley has held discussions with Reading’s current owner Yongge Dai, who has been the subject of protests with the club slipping down the footballing pyramid in England.
Remarkably, Chinese businessman Yongge Dai appears an even worse option for supporters than Mike Ashley after years of points deductions for financial breaches.
Dai was also personally indicted by the EFL for failing to deposit enough cash to pay wages at the club back in September.
The club’s supporters marched ahead of Reading’s weekend 3-2 defeat against Portsmouth which leaves the club bottom of League One.
Last in the Premier League in 2013, Reading enjoyed a ten year stint in the Championship before being relegated last season and could now enter the fourth tier of English football.
Now it appears that it may well be Mike Ashley to the rescue for Reading but Rangers fans know full well to impact of the High Street billionaire on a football club.
Rangers boogeyman Mike Ashley to Reading?
Attempting to turn the Gers into a launchpad for his subjectively tacky Sports Direct brand, Rangers have spent years recovering from retail contracts signed whilst the club was under an ownership structure with questionable intentions.
Ever since Dave King and the Three Bears’ takeover in 2015 has there been clashes with Mike Ashley and last year, seven years on, Rangers finally reached a settlement to finally shake free the shackles of the billionaire’s retail dominion.
The club’s annual accounts point to Rangers paying £8m to do so. Gers fans aren’t the only ones who’ve experienced Mike Ashley either.
Selling Newcastle United to the Saudis in 2021, the moment was met with joyous scenes on Tyneside and since then they’re not exactly doing too badly.
Back in the Champions League with a genuine shot at the big time, there’s a feeling Mike Ashley didn’t realise the potential at St James’ Park.
But with Reading desperately seeking alternatives to the tumultuous reign of Yongge Dai – who has been in charge since 2017 – perhaps Mike Ashley isn’t the worst option.
The High St billionaire isn’t the only one expressing an interest either, with British rival William Storey also said to be in the mix.
