Maintaining standards after a sale is complete will be very important, as the previous year has shown.
The news that a sale is close will come as a relief to many supporters. Things can change, as we know all too well, but it looks as though a deal is closer to completion now than it has been throughout the entire takeover process.
Rob Couhig, who is rumoured to be closing in on a purchase, has already been an owner of a League One club before and, at the very least, he should be able to provide stability. After a period of major turbulence, stability is exactly what we need right now and it could help to enhance our on-field performances.
It’s true that signings will also be required, but movement in that department should naturally ramp up if a sale can be finalised.
That’s a big if. We need to continue being cautious, but if a takeover is sealed in the coming weeks, fans can afford to breathe a sigh of relief and most importantly, get down to Blue Collar and the Purple Turtle.
Even after a sale, fans have a role to play after we take a break. This break will be needed following such a draining period. But our work as a fanbase won’t be done once Dai Yongge has left the building. Maintaining high standards and holding key figures to account will be crucial.
Reading fans have become accustomed to the club being a shambles in recent years and, quite frankly, that is unacceptable. But there is hope.
The Supporters’ Trust at Reading (STAR) seems to be evolving all the time and have really stepped up to the plate since the Sell Before We Dai campaign was formed. Without having STAR on board, the campaign wouldn’t have been as effective, and, after a sale is complete, they will continue to play a big role.
STAR has a huge amount of potential and could be one of the finest supporters’ trusts in the country after learning many things from our current ordeal.
I’m not on the board, but, as outsiders, many of us can see how much the supporters’ trust has improved recently and it will continue to evolve into an even better organisation in the coming years.
There are plenty of talented faces on the board who can make a real difference, including chair Sarah Turner, who has done a brilliant job representing the fans and recently spoke out on national TV about the women’s team’s struggles.
Putting myself in the role of STAR chair for a second, I’d want to be pretty radical. I have an obsession with reforming things (no, I didn’t vote for you Nigel Farage) and having a restructure would be at the top of my list if it’s in the chair’s power to do that.
Having a ‘standards officer’ to hold the club accountable would be a role I’d create, along with a women’s team representative to represent a part of the club that has been heavily neglected in the past couple of years.
Having a FHAOP (football has an ownership problem) officer on the board to assist fans of clubs in trouble would also be fantastic. We know what it’s like to go through hell with a dreadful owner, so passing on our knowledge and continuing to push for the establishment of the Independent Football Regulator would be great.
Allowing people to apply for specific roles on the STAR board (rather than just a general place on the board) would enable specialists in these certain areas to make a real difference, which will make the supporters’ trust an even more formidable force.
But that’s just my vision of what STAR could be.
Others will have other ideas and I have no doubt that if/when the Dai chapter comes to an end at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, the STAR board will discuss ways to become even more effective.
Under Sarah’s leadership and with the ideas she may have, I’m excited for the organisation's future.
Fans who feel they could make a difference should be looking to apply for a place on the board when this year’s elections take place. Don’t shout from the sidelines, get yourself involved and see if you can make a difference.
Fans aren’t the most powerful stakeholders when it comes to football clubs, but our voices on social media can make a real difference and STAR will have a particularly important role to play.
Let’s not underestimate the change we can generate when we come together.
If a sale happens, Couhig and his potential partners should be welcomed with open arms and we need to give them time to get their feet under the table before we make any judgements. That’s a must.
In my view, Sell Before We Dai must solely focus on the political part of the campaign after we are sold, considering our main aim will have been accomplished.
Some of our work should then be passed to STAR, who can start to scrutinise the decisions made by a new owner/set of owners.
As a fanbase, with the help of the supporters’ trust, we should speak up when we need to and try and push for change when it’s needed.
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t enjoy a good relationship with new owners. We should and we should welcome them with open arms.
After all, they will have been responsible for saving the club from the jaws of administration and, potentially, liquidation. And working with top officials at the SCL Stadium to make the club the best it can be has to be a top priority.
But that shouldn’t prevent us from speaking up when we need to.
We aren’t an entitled fanbase and we don’t expect miracles. We just want our football club to be normal again, and, after its degradation under Dai, fans can play a role in keeping standards high.
