EFL charge Reading owner Yongge Dai with misconduct after club hit with fourth points deduction in three seasons

READING owner Yongge Dai has been charged with misconduct by the EFL.

The Royals have been slapped with their fourth points deduction in three seasons.

Reading were relegated from the Championship last term following a six-point deduction.

While they narrowly survived the previous season, with their first six-point deduction having dropped them to 21st.

They were docked a further point for the 2023-24 season last month, with a further three suspended.

The Royals were required to deposit a sum worth 125 per cent of their forecast monthly salary into a designated club account by September 12.

Following their failure to do so, they have triggered a further points deduction, meaning they have now been docked a total of four points this season.

Owner Dai has received his charge as a further consequence.

An EFL statement read: “Reading FC’s owner, Mr Yongge Dai, has been charged with misconduct after failing to comply with the order of an independent Disciplinary Commission which required him to deposit an amount equal to 125 per cent of the Club’s forecast monthly wage bill in a designated account by 12 September.

“The League considers these further proceedings against him personally are necessary given the repeated failings in meeting the Club’s funding requirements which have only a detrimental impact on the Club and its wider stakeholders.

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“This matter will now be considered by an independent Disciplinary Commission in accordance with EFL Regulations.”

Reading appointed former Southampton boss Ruben Selles as manager in the summer.

They have started the season with three wins and four defeats from seven league matches – with their points deduction dropping them to 21st in the table.

As news of their further deduction broke last week, a club statement read: “Reading Football Club can confirm that a suspended three-point penalty has been activated as a result of owner Mr Dai failing to deposit an amount equating to 125 per cent of the club’s monthly wage bill into a designated account by the deadline of Tuesday 12 September 2023, as ordered by the Independent Disciplinary Commission in its decision of 15 August 2023.

“Last month, the club received a one-point penalty in relation to breaches of Regulation 64.7 of the EFL Regulations (relating to three instances of late payment of player wages), with a further three-point suspended penalty to be applied should the club fail to pay players’ wages on time on any further occasion before 30 June 2024, or should the deposit payment fail to be paid.

“The points deduction will now be applied to our League One total with immediate effect.

“As communicated to our supporters previously, Mr Dai is currently undertaking an ongoing process of seeking sources of stable external investment for the football club, with the aim of mitigating the risk of cashflow complications arising in future.”

Reading were in swashbuckling form last night in the EFL Trophy, thrashing Exeter 9-0 away from home.

Boss Selles hailed his side after the historic win, gushing: “This group has something special, both together and as individuals, so the decision has not been difficult because of the way they work.

“We just need to carry on and don’t forget that every few days we have a game.”

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk