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Another weekend, another home game where the football played second fiddle. Since the game against Bolton Wanderers, when the first protest took place, we are yet to pay another outstanding HMRC bill and the club have released a statement saying Dai Yongge is listening to offers for the club.
Again on Saturday, the Loyal Royals were urged to dress in black by Sell Before We Dai and again came armed with their tennis balls. This time there were quite a few more, and they rained down onto the pitch from all four stands on the 16th minute - doubling down and then some on the point we made against Bolton.
However, where the team succeeded in going on to win the game against the Trotters, they stumbled against Burton with a pretty poor overall performance.
The protest
Things have got even worse since we started protesting against Bolton and, let's face it, it’s not going to get any better until Dai Yongge sells the club. The relatively good news is that Dai is now publicly open to selling the club, and the protests and work behind the scenes by Sell Before We Dai that have already been done has put our situation firmly on the national media’s radar.
We protested even bigger and better against Burton, so much so that the game had to have a 10-minute delay in order for all the tennis balls to be cleared.
The fans’ message is simple: Dai Yongge has to sell the club or else there is a genuine chance we won’t be a club for much longer...
I love this club! Proud of our fans for the protest today, it was totally "on point" and sent a message to Dai Yongge, get out of our club! #readingfc #SellBeforeWeDai
— JRSRoyal1871 (@JRSRoyal1871) September 30, 2023
The best thing about these protests? They’re so ruddy unifying.
— Greg Double (@Dubstep1988) September 30, 2023
Genuinely moving, atmosphere is better than it has been in ages…and then it stopped. L
What’s more, we’re on top in the game - let’s not ruin that.
As I said to my priest:
“Put your balls away now.” #readingfc https://t.co/inPECIvY6C
Proud to be a #readingfc fan! #sellbeforewedai https://t.co/aU9jBktwKm
— Jon Randall (@randallsroyals) September 30, 2023
All those tennis balls #readingfc pic.twitter.com/6zPzoxLFsD
— Becki White (@MissBeckaEllen) September 30, 2023
Gutted to be missing this, but heartened by the fellow fans acting as heroes at the Mad Stad today. We want Dai Yongge Out #SellBeforeWeDai #readingfc
— Jeff H (@jphallett7) September 30, 2023
You let it go this far Mr Dai and EFL, fans have every right to protest #SellBeforeWeDai #ReadingFC #DaiOut
— Anders Egerstad (@egerstad) September 30, 2023
Great efforts with the tennis balls a lot more than last time #readingfc
— Monty Hulbert #DaiOut (@B1gB0yGaming) September 30, 2023
A pleasure to meet some of the committed fans behind the campaign before the game. Many won’t realise the time and effort required to create and pursue a responsible campaign. This is such an important issue for our community now and into the future. I salute you. #readingfc https://t.co/kpGaqGPKtb
— Nick Knight (@NJK20171) September 30, 2023
Proud of everyone there. All 4 stands joining in with the chants and tennis balls. #readingfc #ReadingFcInBlack
— micah (@m1871e) September 30, 2023
That is a LOT of tennis balls. Rs fans making their views clear to owner Dai Yongge. #readingfc https://t.co/6HPMmXsAcT
— Alistair Coleman (@alistaircoleman) September 30, 2023
Well done lads #Readingfc #Protest
— Sam S (@tablefloor) September 30, 2023
The football
The protest was, yet again, on the most part a unifying experience that brought the fans together and made them proud to support their club. The actual football on the other hand was not so good.
We fashioned a fair few chances, but with the amount of possession we had and with how content Burton were to hold out for a draw, we really should’ve done a lot better and come away with three points.
At this stage we don’t know where the next points deduction will come from, but more punishment could come so we need to rack up as many points as possible. This felt like a huge opportunity missed...
Once again, a poor performance.
— Reading FC (@bluewhitewall) September 30, 2023
So predictable with the ball. We just do the same pass it to the wing then never do anything then go back to the defenders and see if they can switch sides, if not back to the same side.
Need to sort out our attack it is useless.#ReadingFC
Such a poor game today. Can’t help but think that Selles might be over complicating things #readingfc
— Stevie p (@stevie_p1871) September 30, 2023
Most threat we saw was from the tennis balls. Poor performance. #readingfc
— micah (@m1871e) September 30, 2023
Two points dropped. That was poor. We have got to start asking questions about our attackers, so many chances and zero taken. Great protest but very disappointing performance again #readingfc
— Luke (@Luke1871_) September 30, 2023
Really poor Burton side and we can’t even score. Our final third is shocking and even with 3 in the middle we achieved nothing. Centre backs with the most passes says it all. #readingfc
— Arnie (@arnie_rfc) September 30, 2023
#ReadingFC players showing the effects of everything off the field today against a very poor Burton side, grim weeks and months ahead
— Jamie Harden (@MrCompo) September 30, 2023
A new low? Dire first half. Couldn’t score if we played for a week in the second. The only think executed brilliantly today was the protest. #readingfc @willow1871
— Simon Latson (@SimonLatson) September 30, 2023
Football shocking, protest brilliant. #readingfc
— Louis (@dinglouis_) September 30, 2023
What an awful game of football. #readingfc
— Adam Nige Cox (@Adamnigecox) September 30, 2023
Awful result. That is worse than last weekend. If we can't win our home games against this sort of opposition, then god help us #readingfc
— Ben (@BenParsons89) September 30, 2023
Protest absolutely fantastic, football utterly boring #readingfc
— Dan (@DanTheMan__98) September 30, 2023
Conclusion
Another very, very good protest but another performance that left a lot to be desired. I guess a point’s a point, and it’s better to be creating chances and not taking them than not creating them at all, but still we need to be a lot better than that going forward.
Next up, Northampton Town.
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