Over 100 Reading fans protested the potential sale of their grounds to Wycombe at Adams Park
The peaceful protest saw fans gathered on Wycombe Wanderers' home turf
Last updated 16th Mar 2024
Anger, betrayal, disappointment and sadness were emotions expressed by Reading FC supporters at a protest held last night in High Wycombe.
Over 100 fans gathered on Wycombe Wanderers' home turf, Adams Park, over the potential sale of Reading FC's state-of-the-art training grounds to Wycombe.
It comes as Wycombe Wanderers confirmed in a statement published last Thursday (March 14) they were in talks with Reading Football Club over the potential purchase of their Bearwood Park training facility.
"I saw my first game at Elm Park in 1968, I don't know what I would do without a football club to be quite honest."
Dave Pearson, who was at the protest, spoke to Greatest Hits Radio.
He said: "I hope it will gather noise, and Wycombe Wanderers fans to protest against their club taking this action, because they should be ashamed of their club contributing to the demise of another club."
Protesters held banners, laid flowers down, and held their backs against Adams Park gates while chanting their discontent.
David, another Reading FC fan, said: "I'm here because I care about Reading Football Club, it's in my family."
"I saw my first game at Elm Park in 1968, I don't know what I would do without a football club to be quite honest."
"I think the EFL have got a total lack of understanding of how it's affecting the mental health of the supporters, and I don't mind admitting that at 68 years of age it's affected me probably more than anything else in my life."
"...we've come here to display our displeasure."
Although Wycombe Wanderers supporters remain in two minds over the news, Reading FC fans are in strong opposition over what they said could lead to the disappearance of their club.
Elena is part of the Sell Before We Dai campaign, a group created to fight the sale of their club.
She said: "It's not what we want at all, we want the club to be sold as a whole."
"To hear that the owner is carving out the training ground and basically asset stripping is very worrying to us, so we've come here to display our displeasure."
Last week, the owner of Reading issued a public statement announcing the availability of Bearwood Park for sale, which is owned by the club.
Chairman, Mr Dai Yongge and CEO Dayong Pang said: "Mr Dai, is currently evaluating every option at present to secure sufficient funding until new ownership is confirmed. In doing so, he is open to the sale of Bearwood Park, should an appropriate offer be received.".
"It's really concerning that he's willing to carve out the training ground, especially to a local club like Wycombe."
"Whilst dialogue with potential new ownership groups are progressing, as of today no single party has been granted exclusivity. Mr Dai, and representatives, will continue to liaise with interested parties and hope to move forwards at the earliest possible opportunity".
Elena said: "If Dai Yongge continues with the sale of the training ground separately then that's devaluing the overall value of the club that could be sold and all along we were led to believe that the club would be sold as a whole."
"It's really concerning that he's willing to carve out the training ground, especially to a local club like Wycombe."
"It's blindsided us."
Reading FC is preparing for what is expected to be a tumultuous game on their home grounds against Cambridge United later today.