Reading Football Club Sold to New Ownership Group

Former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig has agreed to buy Reading Football Club in a deal reached in principle. The sale follows the club's owner, Dai Yongge, being disqualified under the English Football League's owners' and directors' test in March. Reading announced last month they had agreed terms over the sale. Couhig and Todd Trosclair of New Orleans own Redwood Holdings Ltd, the subsidiary that will acquire the club.

Former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig has reached an agreement in principle to buy Reading Football Club. The sale follows the club's owner, Dai Yongge, being disqualified under the English Football League's (EFL) owners' and directors' test in March. Reading announced last month that they had agreed terms over the sale [2].

The deal involves Redwood Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Dogwood Football LLC, which is owned by Couhig and Todd Trosclair of New Orleans, Louisiana. Yongge, who took over Reading in 2017, has been criticized by fans for the club's problems, including a six-point deduction for financial mismanagement and withdrawal from the Women's Championship due to financial issues [2].

Reading currently stands seventh in League One, one place behind Leyton Orient, who are in the final playoff place on goal difference. The EFL has agreed to extend its deadline for the divestment of Yongge's shareholding until its next board meeting on May 8 [2].

This acquisition marks a significant shift in ownership for Reading, and it remains to be seen how the club will perform under new management. The EFL's owners' and directors' test is designed to ensure that clubs have sufficient financial stability and integrity, and the disqualification of Yongge highlights the importance of this test in maintaining the health of the league.

References:
[1] https://www.etvbharat.com/en/!sports/premier-league-opens-office-in-mumbai-to-promote-football-in-india-enn25042904919
[2] https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/reading-takeover-by-ex-wycombe-owner-couhig-agreed-principle-2025-05-03/