Great news, @TheRoyalBiscuit. My father-in-law is a Royal and no doubt he’ll also be ecstatic. Thanks for being a sane voice when relations between our two clubs threatened to get a bit hairy. Be very interesting to see what Rob has in store to restore Reading to its ‘rightful place in the English football pyramid’ (if there is such a thing!).
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Has he promised to build a road paved with biscuits yet?
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I’m pleased for Reading that the saga is over, but i can’t help worry that us, Reading, Lomtadze, Couhig and Bearwood will all stay connected in some way.
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Wycding Eagles in 3…2…1…
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Good stuff @TheRoyalBiscuit. I worked in Reading for a couple of years and know a few supporters. While we enjoy ripping it out of each other from time to time, none of us would want either club to disappear - just be very unsuccessful 
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Absolutely brilliant post, @TheRoyalBiscuit.
It has been a pleasure to have your company, keeping us in touch with and offering your insights into at least some of the goings on during such a prolonged period of frustration and uncertainty for Reading fans.
We are lucky on the Gasroom to have supporters from one or two other clubs in the same division joining in our discussions from time to time, always in peace and a welcome antidote to some of the poison spewed on other social media platforms.
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One of the many great things about the Gasroom is how we welcome opposition fans with something to offer. Great antidote to much of social media and the morons who dwell there.
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The haste in which Rob Couhig exited the building during the transition period last summer suggests there isn’t much of a working relationship between him and Mikhail Lomtadze, Eduard Vyshnyakov and Dan Rice.
That said, the Wycombe Wanderers Mikhail Lomtadze academy needs the facilities that Bearwood provides and Lomtadze has the funds that Couhig wants, so it feels there’s still a deal to be done.
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I’d be surprised if this wasn’t the plan. Especially given the problems at Harlington and,
IIRC the first time we heard of Mikhail Lomtadze was when we suddenly had the moment to buy Bearwood.
Rob Couhig has an eye for a money-making deal that’s for sure.
Something about a camel and a needle.
@TheRoyalBiscuit As a resident of Reading these days I’m delighted for the town and supporters like yourselves who have gone through a torrid few years. We’ve had our own travails when the Steve Hayes regime crumbled but they pale in comparison to Reading’s.
Dai Yongge finally being cut out of football without completely asset stripping Reading FC is a huge win for football at all levels. Every time a would be asset stripper is sent packing deters a load of other ones. I don’t care how much you might dislike a club, seeing them fall pray to asset strippers only hurts all clubs, including the one we all hold dear.
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To be fair, Rob Couhig exited so hastily last summer because he decided to, err, try and buy Reading. Quite the conflict of interest.
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I believe his name came into the picture a good few months before then. When the story about Couhig/Feliciana (not WWFC) trying to buy Reading’s training ground was leaked, it was no surprise Lomtadze’s name was bandied around as being the financier behind it.
As @glasshalfempty said, his interest in the facility may not be over yet. Couhig almost certainly will be looking to trim expenses and try to get extra income in any way he can, he will observe the Harlington farce with no small sense of excitement and will no doubt see Lomtadze coming from all the way up the M4 if he does decide to try to broker a deal for use of Reading’s facilities.
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Or Lomtadze could now buy Reading from Couhig, tha latter having done all the hard work for him and then put Wycombe on the market. Or he could put us in his son in laws sole ownership. How about that for a conspiracy theory!
He could put us on the market but I don’t see how he gets any of his investment back. Not sure anything would surprise me now but buying us as an expensive training exercise and then also paying Rob enough money to cover everything he’s been up to for the last year just to end up with Reading seems like high effort and high cost.
Amazing news for everyone in Berkshire, I hope Rob (& Todd) steady the ship & help the club to rebuild after the horror show of Yongge’s ownership.
You’ll always be welcome here, we have never had an issue with level-headed visiting fans and it gives us something else to think about when having discussions that are out of the box.
Also, I’d like to apologise again for my sour-tasting, tongue in cheek comment previously and I hope there is plenty of water flowing under that bridge?
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That was an outcome that was very much a possibility last year. Lomtadze’s sunk a lot of capital into WWFC since then, you’d like to think that ship has sailed.
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As has been said before, if Lomtadze wanted Reading, he could have bought Reading. He didn’t have to buy Wycombe so that Couhig could buy Reading so that Lomtadze could sell Wycombe so that Lomtadze could buy reading.
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Glad to hear the positive news @TheRoyalBiscuit you’ll be ok for the time that RC is owner as he saved us from the brink and it was mostly a positive experience here at Wycombe, he will definitely be a very visible and enthusiastic owner.
You should get ready for:
- Fans being called customers.
- Matchday being described as “an entertainment event.”
- No discounts - ever.
- Daytime fireworks
- Potentially giving away home sections of your stadium for away supporters.
- Annoyance at fan “feedback.”
- Lots of claims/plans that don’t quite materialise.
Overall good news and great to see DY out of football.
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Lomtadze might have bought Wycombe in the expectation of being able to buy Bearwood on the cheap. As Couhig has proved, it has been a nightmare trying to deal with Yongge and Lommy went for the easier and much quicker option of buying Wycombe, leaving Couhig to do the hard graft.
Bearing in mind the main object was to build a world class Academy, Bearwood is the ideal base for it. Reading in now the much better option for Lommy, bigger stadium, larger attendances, better facilities, better history etc.
I don’t think all this will happen, but I believe it is a possibility. Looking at the bigger picture, a few million pounds lost on Wycombe is just small change for Lommy, and as I said before he could offload Wycombe to his son in law.
I am however convinced that Bearwood is the key for one or both clubs.
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