CONFIMRED - The 2nd final countdown

[Snowflake Royal]

I dunno.

he got the sale of the training ground correct

And that it was going to be couhig

He got the Sam smith deal to Wrexham correct

He got Tyler bindon to forest correct

He said the club had asked for extension till the 5th May about a week ago that was correct.

The stuff he’s got wrong was announcing the takeover was done when it wasn’t. But even couhig thought it was done. So I think people are a trifle unfair on the guy. He gets a lot more right than people give him credit for…

But then everytime I stick up for him I get accused of being him

Didn’t we actually ask for a longer extension and only get 5th?

[Greatwesternline]

Things that have been mentioned:

- £25m price

- Dai not liking Couhig's business plan and ambition for the club first time round, and Couhig only paying £6m or something then.

- Couhig paying more of the money up front second time round.


My guess is, first time round the £25m was the maximum price that would be paid including performance related fees such as promotion, with Couhig only paying something like £6m up front, and Dai didnt like the look of Couhig's asset sweating of the club and shutting down Cat 1 academy, which might make RFC profitable for Couhig, but wouldnt make Dai likely to see the promotion benefits of the gap between 6 and 25 million.

This time round Couhig is offering more of that £25m up front, which has made it a less bitter pill to swallow for Dai.

It's all guesses, but that's my hunch.

Couhig only paying £6m upfront reeked of bullshit. Especially as he'd already put £5m into the club before the sale fell through. Combined that's already £11m and almost half the total fee.

i know what you mean, but £6m cash + £5m in loans not needed to be paid back as part of the transaction = £11m or 44% of £25m consideration up front, which isn't that mental.

[MartinRdg]

Someone at the club is confident the sale's going ahead https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2025/april/23/stadium-tours-june/

[Snowflake Royal]

Things that have been mentioned:

- £25m price

- Dai not liking Couhig's business plan and ambition for the club first time round, and Couhig only paying £6m or something then.

- Couhig paying more of the money up front second time round.


My guess is, first time round the £25m was the maximum price that would be paid including performance related fees such as promotion, with Couhig only paying something like £6m up front, and Dai didnt like the look of Couhig's asset sweating of the club and shutting down Cat 1 academy, which might make RFC profitable for Couhig, but wouldnt make Dai likely to see the promotion benefits of the gap between 6 and 25 million.

This time round Couhig is offering more of that £25m up front, which has made it a less bitter pill to swallow for Dai.

It's all guesses, but that's my hunch.

Couhig only paying £6m upfront reeked of bullshit. Especially as he'd already put £5m into the club before the sale fell through. Combined that's already £11m and almost half the total fee.

i know what you mean, but £6m cash + £5m in loans not needed to be paid back as part of the transaction = £11m or 44% of £25m consideration up front, which isn't that mental.

Yeah, it was being used to discredit Couhig as if his offer was derisory and he was only offering £6m. By people with an obvious anti-Couhig axe to grind.

[Sutekh]

I dunno.

he got the sale of the training ground correct

And that it was going to be couhig

He got the Sam smith deal to Wrexham correct

He got Tyler bindon to forest correct

He said the club had asked for extension till the 5th May about a week ago that was correct.

The stuff he’s got wrong was announcing the takeover was done when it wasn’t. But even couhig thought it was done. So I think people are a trifle unfair on the guy. He gets a lot more right than people give him credit for…

But then everytime I stick up for him I get accused of being him

Didn’t we actually ask for a longer extension and only get 5th?

Thought the club asked for 8th but got 5th instead. Huang Kad is therefore someone on payroll of the FL

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Couhig only paying £6m upfront reeked of bullshit. Especially as he'd already put £5m into the club before the sale fell through. Combined that's already £11m and almost half the total fee.

i know what you mean, but £6m cash + £5m in loans not needed to be paid back as part of the transaction = £11m or 44% of £25m consideration up front, which isn't that mental.

Yeah, it was being used to discredit Couhig as if his offer was derisory and he was only offering £6m. By people with an obvious anti-Couhig axe to grind.

Not sure about the £6 million number, but the 1871 podcast reported someone inside the club had said it was last minute dropping off the price by Couhig that made Dai pull out.

They may have been right, they may have been wrong, neither you nor I will know, but they are / were at least a credible source.

And there's big difference between between cautious about seeing Couhig as the second coming and being anti-him.

[From Despair To Where?]

We could and have done a hell of a lot worse than Couhig.

If and when he takes over, the slate should be wiped clean IMO and he should only be judged by what he does as Reading owner.

I'm quite looking forward to Dai turning up to sign the contract in a prison van, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, blanket over his head and flanked by half a dozen Chinese prison officers.

[Snowflake Royal]

i know what you mean, but £6m cash + £5m in loans not needed to be paid back as part of the transaction = £11m or 44% of £25m consideration up front, which isn't that mental.

Yeah, it was being used to discredit Couhig as if his offer was derisory and he was only offering £6m. By people with an obvious anti-Couhig axe to grind.

Not sure about the £6 million number, but the 1871 podcast reported someone inside the club had said it was last minute dropping off the price by Couhig that made Dai pull out.

They may have been right, they may have been wrong, neither you nor I will know, but they are / were at least a credible source.

And there's big difference between between cautious about seeing Couhig as the second coming and being anti-him.

There was a fair amount of anti-Couhig briefing coming out of the club as soon as the deal collapsed. This was part of it. Clearly people with an axe to grind. And plenty of people just swallowed it wholesale.

Those people in the club may soon regret that.

[Royal_jimmy]

Apparently Couhig is on BA224 flight from New Orleans to Heathrow later.

Anyone fancy being the new bush watch person tomorrow?

[Royal Ginger]

I just so happen to be at Heathrow right now. If he wanders into the bar at the Radisson I’ll be sure to let you know.

[LUX]

Apparently Couhig is on BA224 flight from New Orleans to Heathrow later.

Anyone fancy being the new bush watch person tomorrow?

That flight gets in tomorrow just after midday.

[The Royal Forester]

I thought RC lived in the west of the states, Why is flying from New Orleans? Note to Royal Ginger, it's due in at 12.40 tomorrow, can you go to arrivals in T5 and watch out for him?

[tidus_mi2]

Yeah, it was being used to discredit Couhig as if his offer was derisory and he was only offering £6m. By people with an obvious anti-Couhig axe to grind.

Not sure about the £6 million number, but the 1871 podcast reported someone inside the club had said it was last minute dropping off the price by Couhig that made Dai pull out.

They may have been right, they may have been wrong, neither you nor I will know, but they are / were at least a credible source.

And there's big difference between between cautious about seeing Couhig as the second coming and being anti-him.

There was a fair amount of anti-Couhig briefing coming out of the club as soon as the deal collapsed. This was part of it. Clearly people with an axe to grind. And plenty of people just swallowed it wholesale.

Those people in the club may soon regret that.

The club definitely could do with a big clear out assuming this takeover completes.

[Vision]

Not sure about the £6 million number, but the 1871 podcast reported someone inside the club had said it was last minute dropping off the price by Couhig that made Dai pull out.

They may have been right, they may have been wrong, neither you nor I will know, but they are / were at least a credible source.

And there's big difference between between cautious about seeing Couhig as the second coming and being anti-him.

There was a fair amount of anti-Couhig briefing coming out of the club as soon as the deal collapsed. This was part of it. Clearly people with an axe to grind. And plenty of people just swallowed it wholesale.

Those people in the club may soon regret that.

The club definitely could do with a big clear out assuming this takeover completes.

Dai clearing out aside, where do we think this big clear out will come? The playing squad is bare bones really and will lose some of the out of contract players plus we’ve already had a number of cost cutting initiatives in the last couple of years.

The only thing left that would make a significant difference really would be with the academy.

As an aside, one of the worst aspects of the last few seasons is we’ve reached a stage where when we talk about “the club” doing this or that we don’t really know who/what “the club” is. Is it Dai? Is it the CEO bloke? Is it some work experience dude doing the comms?

It’s not so much a clear out that’s needed as a clear, structure to replace whatever is going on now. Can’t imagine it’s been much fun for anyone associated with RFC in a working capacity these past few years .

[Sutekh]

Apparently Couhig is on BA224 flight from New Orleans to Heathrow later.

Anyone fancy being the new bush watch person tomorrow?

Flight ahead of schedule, now expected at Heathrow T5 at 12.28 rather than 12.40. Anyone going down to meet and/or trail him?

[Sutekh]

I thought RC lived in the west of the states, Why is flying from New Orleans? Note to Royal Ginger, it's due in at 12.40 tomorrow, can you go to arrivals in T5 and watch out for him?

He doesn’t, he lives, I think, in a little place called St Francisville near Baton Rouge. His attorney practice is in New Orleans. He was 76 four days ago so let’s hope Reading FC becomes the best late birthday present he’s ever had.

[Snowflake Royal]

Apparently Couhig is on BA224 flight from New Orleans to Heathrow later.

Anyone fancy being the new bush watch person tomorrow?

Flight ahead of schedule, now expected at Heathrow T5 at 12.28 rather than 12.40. Anyone going down to meet and/or trail him?

Jesus, grow up

[windermereROYAL]

Apparently Couhig is on BA224 flight from New Orleans to Heathrow later.

Anyone fancy being the new bush watch person tomorrow?

Flight ahead of schedule, now expected at Heathrow T5 at 12.28 rather than 12.40. Anyone going down to meet and/or trail him?

Jesus, grow up

Beep beep, sense of humour alert.

[72 bus]

There was a fair amount of anti-Couhig briefing coming out of the club as soon as the deal collapsed. This was part of it. Clearly people with an axe to grind. And plenty of people just swallowed it wholesale.

Those people in the club may soon regret that.

The club definitely could do with a big clear out assuming this takeover completes.

Dai clearing out aside, where do we think this big clear out will come? The playing squad is bare bones really and will lose some of the out of contract players plus we’ve already had a number of cost cutting initiatives in the last couple of years.

The only thing left that would make a significant difference really would be with the academy.

As an aside, one of the worst aspects of the last few seasons is we’ve reached a stage where when we talk about “the club” doing this or that we don’t really know who/what “the club” is. Is it Dai? Is it the CEO bloke? Is it some work experience dude doing the comms?

It’s not so much a clear out that’s needed as a clear, structure to replace whatever is going on now. Can’t imagine it’s been much fun for anyone associated with RFC in a working capacity these past few years .

I think he means the club needs a clearout on the non playing staff, and TBF he has a point.

[Winston Biscuit]

The club definitely could do with a big clear out assuming this takeover completes.

could be just the reset we need