CONFIMRED - The 2nd final countdown

[mikey_1871]

An opportunity for the EFL to reassure the fans, confirm there is a buyer and clarify how far along the deal is, wasted.

Still no evidence the “other man” is Robert Platek, leaving only Twitter rumours and copypasta journalism as the source of this name, and we have heard nothing of any progress since the other rumours that a conflict of interest might have scuppered any deal, even if there was one.

My gut is telling me the deal went cold long ago, if there was one at all.

He's in exclusivity and the club will be subject to an NDA. Why should we know any further?

[Royal Rother]

This is very distressing for a lot of people for whom RFC has been an important part of their life for many, many years. Like me, I guess, obvs.

I am pretty relaxed about it.

I may be the only one left, but, head in sand maybe, I believe it'll all work out in the end.

It's quite exciting seeing how it gets there.

(And really, if I do end up being wrong in the end there's fcuk all I could have done about it anyway.)

[rabidbee]

This is very distressing for a lot of people for whom RFC has been an important part of their life for many, many years. Like me, I guess, obvs.

I am pretty relaxed about it.

I may be the only one left, but, head in sand maybe, I believe it'll all work out in the end.

It's quite exciting seeing how it gets there.

(And really, if I do end up being wrong in the end there's fcuk all I could have done about it anyway.)

I wouldn't describe it as exciting, but this is pretty much where I am. I'm very aware any claims we make to some kind of emotional/moral ownership of the club give us no actual stake in the process at all, any more than the customers of this or that shop. It's in literally everybody's interests for a deal to go through, so I remain optimistic that it will, although I'm well aware that Dai's relationship with logic is tenuous at best.

[Winston Biscuit]

This is very distressing for a lot of people for whom RFC has been an important part of their life for many, many years. Like me, I guess, obvs.

I am pretty relaxed about it.

I may be the only one left, but, head in sand maybe, I believe it'll all work out in the end

Ive been saying for the last few years there will be loads of noisy drama, then it will get worked out, then we'll start spending on transfers and pretty quickly forget about it all (and when another club get in financial trouble some on here will even laugh at them)

[Sutekh]

An opportunity for the EFL to reassure the fans, confirm there is a buyer and clarify how far along the deal is, wasted.

Still no evidence the “other man” is Robert Platek, leaving only Twitter rumours and copypasta journalism as the source of this name, and we have heard nothing of any progress since the other rumours that a conflict of interest might have scuppered any deal, even if there was one.

My gut is telling me the deal went cold long ago, if there was one at all.

It’s not down to the FL to tell us things esp. as they could compromise any negotiations in so doing. The FL are on the side of wanting any club’s take over negotiations to be out of sight and there to be no talk so as not to build up hopes if proposed new owners then fail the O&DT.

Quite correctly at this point all we know is that the club are in negotiations with someone and that that someone is rumoured to be Robert Platek.

We may all want to have someone involved give us the old “comical Ali” daily update scenario but that is prevented from happening by the NDAs everyone signs so we just have to sit and wait, like a load of mushrooms.

As with anything though, no news just means the silence will get filled with a load of speculation, rumour, paranoia and have everyone worrying unnecessarily about something over which they have zero input and even less control. So just sit back, what will happen is going to happen whatever but at least the end of it all is now in sight.

[Sutekh]

This is very distressing for a lot of people for whom RFC has been an important part of their life for many, many years. Like me, I guess, obvs.

I am pretty relaxed about it.

I may be the only one left, but, head in sand maybe, I believe it'll all work out in the end

Ive been saying for the last few years there will be loads of noisy drama, then it will get worked out, then we'll start spending on transfers and pretty quickly forget about it all (and when another club get in financial trouble some on here will even laugh at them)

Only if it’s Chelsea though

[tmesis]

This is very distressing for a lot of people for whom RFC has been an important part of their life for many, many years. Like me, I guess, obvs.

I am pretty relaxed about it.

I may be the only one left, but, head in sand maybe, I believe it'll all work out in the end.

I'm similar, in that I do, for some reason, expect this all to be resolved, even if it goes down to the wire.

There's even a small part of me that finds the idea of watching a reformed club under new ownership storm through non-league in front of five-figure crowds oddly appealing, albeit tempered rather largely by that being an unlikely scenario. Dai is the sort of idiot who would fold the club but retain the business owning the stadium.

I think it will take either hearing the deal has collapsed, or getting very close to the final deadline, for it to really hit home.

[El Diablo]

Looking forward to reading the in depth book, someone will no doubt write about this, once it all gets sorted.

Also, worth a look , if not already mentioned through the recent pages, but check out Mike Gow's (@mikeygow) latest mega thread about Dai on twatter. It really explains the cluster that is Dai, how he's gotten into this mess and the known eye watering numbers involved, which would appear to be the tip of the iceberg. In any other world Dai would be doing bird. I suspect that may well still happen for him.

[Silver Fox]

This is very distressing for a lot of people for whom RFC has been an important part of their life for many, many years. Like me, I guess, obvs.

I am pretty relaxed about it.

I may be the only one left, but, head in sand maybe, I believe it'll all work out in the end.

It's quite exciting seeing how it gets there.

(And really, if I do end up being wrong in the end there's fcuk all I could have done about it anyway.)

My vibe completely

[Extended-Phenotype]

An opportunity for the EFL to reassure the fans, confirm there is a buyer and clarify how far along the deal is, wasted.

Still no evidence the “other man” is Robert Platek, leaving only Twitter rumours and copypasta journalism as the source of this name, and we have heard nothing of any progress since the other rumours that a conflict of interest might have scuppered any deal, even if there was one.

My gut is telling me the deal went cold long ago, if there was one at all.

The EFL won't want to breach any confidentiality, nor will they want to be accused of having given false assurances if the deal subsequently collapses. We just have to take some confidence from the fact that they've agreed to an extension.

It doesn't breach confidentiality to confirm a buyer is real, the deal is alive and progressing, and it isn't giving "false assurances" to say a deal is x% complete.

I don't take any confidence in the extension. The extension was always going to happen. This is the EFL laying a paper trail: they were proactive, they afforded flexibility, and they crow-barred in their defence to cover their ass when the shit hits the fan.

If anything this confirms that our expulsion is inevitable, not that anything is happening deal-wise.

[Extended-Phenotype]

An opportunity for the EFL to reassure the fans, confirm there is a buyer and clarify how far along the deal is, wasted.

Still no evidence the “other man” is Robert Platek, leaving only Twitter rumours and copypasta journalism as the source of this name, and we have heard nothing of any progress since the other rumours that a conflict of interest might have scuppered any deal, even if there was one.

My gut is telling me the deal went cold long ago, if there was one at all.

He's in exclusivity and the club will be subject to an NDA. Why should we know any further?

But we don't know he's in exclusivity with the club, that's my point.

[Extended-Phenotype]

An opportunity for the EFL to reassure the fans, confirm there is a buyer and clarify how far along the deal is, wasted.

Still no evidence the “other man” is Robert Platek, leaving only Twitter rumours and copypasta journalism as the source of this name, and we have heard nothing of any progress since the other rumours that a conflict of interest might have scuppered any deal, even if there was one.

My gut is telling me the deal went cold long ago, if there was one at all.

It’s not down to the FL to tell us things esp. as they could compromise any negotiations in so doing. The FL are on the side of wanting any club’s take over negotiations to be out of sight and there to be no talk so as not to build up hopes if proposed new owners then fail the O&DT.

Quite correctly at this point all we know is that the club are in negotiations with someone and that that someone is rumoured to be Robert Platek.

We may all want to have someone involved give us the old “comical Ali” daily update scenario but that is prevented from happening by the NDAs everyone signs so we just have to sit and wait, like a load of mushrooms.

As with anything though, no news just means the silence will get filled with a load of speculation, rumour, paranoia and have everyone worrying unnecessarily about something over which they have zero input and even less control. So just sit back, what will happen is going to happen whatever but at least the end of it all is now in sight.

The EFL seemed able to tell us "btw we aren't to blame" in their statement, so I don't see why they couldn't have also thrown in a "we appreciate the fans and staff at RFC will be anxious, but we can assure you that negotiations are still underway, making progress and approaching the final hurdle." I mean, that seems like such an automatic thing to do, there would have to be a good reason NOT to do it: they don't know anything, and it's entirely possible there isn't anything going on at all.

[bcubed]

This is very distressing for a lot of people for whom RFC has been an important part of their life for many, many years. Like me, I guess, obvs.

I am pretty relaxed about it.

I may be the only one left, but, head in sand maybe, I believe it'll all work out in the end.

It's quite exciting seeing how it gets there.

(And really, if I do end up being wrong in the end there's fcuk all I could have done about it anyway.)

My vibe completely

Me too

[tmesis]

An opportunity for the EFL to reassure the fans, confirm there is a buyer and clarify how far along the deal is, wasted.

Still no evidence the “other man” is Robert Platek, leaving only Twitter rumours and copypasta journalism as the source of this name, and we have heard nothing of any progress since the other rumours that a conflict of interest might have scuppered any deal, even if there was one.

My gut is telling me the deal went cold long ago, if there was one at all.

It’s not down to the FL to tell us things esp. as they could compromise any negotiations in so doing. The FL are on the side of wanting any club’s take over negotiations to be out of sight and there to be no talk so as not to build up hopes if proposed new owners then fail the O&DT.

Quite correctly at this point all we know is that the club are in negotiations with someone and that that someone is rumoured to be Robert Platek.

We may all want to have someone involved give us the old “comical Ali” daily update scenario but that is prevented from happening by the NDAs everyone signs so we just have to sit and wait, like a load of mushrooms.

As with anything though, no news just means the silence will get filled with a load of speculation, rumour, paranoia and have everyone worrying unnecessarily about something over which they have zero input and even less control. So just sit back, what will happen is going to happen whatever but at least the end of it all is now in sight.

The EFL seemed able to tell us "btw we aren't to blame" in their statement, so I don't see why they couldn't have also thrown in a "we appreciate the fans and staff at RFC will be anxious, but we can assure you that negotiations are still underway, making progress and approaching the final hurdle." I mean, that seems like such an automatic thing to do, there would have to be a good reason NOT to do it: they don't know anything, and it's entirely possible there isn't anything going on at all.

There's quite a big gap between "the sale looks to be nearing completion" and "there's no evidence a sale is happening".

[bcubed]

Looking forward to reading the in depth book, someone will no doubt write about this, once it all gets sorted.

Also, worth a look , if not already mentioned through the recent pages, but check out Mike Gow's (@mikeygow) latest mega thread about Dai Young on twatter. It really explains the cluster that is Dai, how he's gotten into this mess and the known eye watering numbers involved, which would appear to be the tip of the iceberg. In any other world Dai would be doing bird. I suspect that may well still happen for him.

If that book is about the details of the financial wrangling and gamesmanship and who owns what and who had exclusivity and who breached NDAs and the EFL and their role or not, etc., etc., you can count me out

[Sutekh]

An opportunity for the EFL to reassure the fans, confirm there is a buyer and clarify how far along the deal is, wasted.

Still no evidence the “other man” is Robert Platek, leaving only Twitter rumours and copypasta journalism as the source of this name, and we have heard nothing of any progress since the other rumours that a conflict of interest might have scuppered any deal, even if there was one.

My gut is telling me the deal went cold long ago, if there was one at all.

It’s not down to the FL to tell us things esp. as they could compromise any negotiations in so doing. The FL are on the side of wanting any club’s take over negotiations to be out of sight and there to be no talk so as not to build up hopes if proposed new owners then fail the O&DT.

Quite correctly at this point all we know is that the club are in negotiations with someone and that that someone is rumoured to be Robert Platek.

We may all want to have someone involved give us the old “comical Ali” daily update scenario but that is prevented from happening by the NDAs everyone signs so we just have to sit and wait, like a load of mushrooms.

As with anything though, no news just means the silence will get filled with a load of speculation, rumour, paranoia and have everyone worrying unnecessarily about something over which they have zero input and even less control. So just sit back, what will happen is going to happen whatever but at least the end of it all is now in sight.

The EFL seemed able to tell us "btw we aren't to blame" in their statement, so I don't see why they couldn't have also thrown in a "we appreciate the fans and staff at RFC will be anxious, but we can assure you that negotiations are still underway, making progress and approaching the final hurdle." I mean, that seems like such an automatic thing to do, there would have to be a good reason NOT to do it: they don't know anything, and it's entirely possible there isn't anything going on at all.

Given they said earlier that they would extend the deadline if there was seen to be movement towards selling the club, then the fact the deadline has been extended suggests that they have seen movement towards a sale of the club being completed. Therefore something positive can be taken as going on behind the scenes, might all fall through later, with Dai involved of course, but it hasn’t at the moment so back to the waiting game for another 3 weeks...

[Snowflake Royal]

An opportunity for the EFL to reassure the fans, confirm there is a buyer and clarify how far along the deal is, wasted.

Still no evidence the “other man” is Robert Platek, leaving only Twitter rumours and copypasta journalism as the source of this name, and we have heard nothing of any progress since the other rumours that a conflict of interest might have scuppered any deal, even if there was one.

My gut is telling me the deal went cold long ago, if there was one at all.

It’s not down to the FL to tell us things esp. as they could compromise any negotiations in so doing. The FL are on the side of wanting any club’s take over negotiations to be out of sight and there to be no talk so as not to build up hopes if proposed new owners then fail the O&DT.

Quite correctly at this point all we know is that the club are in negotiations with someone and that that someone is rumoured to be Robert Platek.

We may all want to have someone involved give us the old “comical Ali” daily update scenario but that is prevented from happening by the NDAs everyone signs so we just have to sit and wait, like a load of mushrooms.

As with anything though, no news just means the silence will get filled with a load of speculation, rumour, paranoia and have everyone worrying unnecessarily about something over which they have zero input and even less control. So just sit back, what will happen is going to happen whatever but at least the end of it all is now in sight.

The EFL seemed able to tell us "btw we aren't to blame" in their statement, so I don't see why they couldn't have also thrown in a "we appreciate the fans and staff at RFC will be anxious, but we can assure you that negotiations are still underway, making progress and approaching the final hurdle." I mean, that seems like such an automatic thing to do, there would have to be a good reason NOT to do it: they don't know anything, and it's entirely possible there isn't anything going on at all.

Because the former involves the actions of the FL and the latter does not. It's not their place to update us on the progress or otherwise of the sale.

[MartinRdg]

It’s not down to the FL to tell us things esp. as they could compromise any negotiations in so doing. The FL are on the side of wanting any club’s take over negotiations to be out of sight and there to be no talk so as not to build up hopes if proposed new owners then fail the O&DT.

Quite correctly at this point all we know is that the club are in negotiations with someone and that that someone is rumoured to be Robert Platek.

We may all want to have someone involved give us the old “comical Ali” daily update scenario but that is prevented from happening by the NDAs everyone signs so we just have to sit and wait, like a load of mushrooms.

As with anything though, no news just means the silence will get filled with a load of speculation, rumour, paranoia and have everyone worrying unnecessarily about something over which they have zero input and even less control. So just sit back, what will happen is going to happen whatever but at least the end of it all is now in sight.

The EFL seemed able to tell us "btw we aren't to blame" in their statement, so I don't see why they couldn't have also thrown in a "we appreciate the fans and staff at RFC will be anxious, but we can assure you that negotiations are still underway, making progress and approaching the final hurdle." I mean, that seems like such an automatic thing to do, there would have to be a good reason NOT to do it: they don't know anything, and it's entirely possible there isn't anything going on at all.

Because the former involves the actions of the FL and the latter does not. It's not their place to update us on the progress or otherwise of the sale.

No - it's up to RFC - surprised they haven't copied and pasted their standard communication - Dai is committed to sell, the sale is progressing etc etc

[Fox Talbot]

Looking forward to reading the in depth book, someone will no doubt write about this, once it all gets sorted.

Also, worth a look , if not already mentioned through the recent pages, but check out Mike Gow's (@mikeygow) latest mega thread about Dai Young on twatter. It really explains the cluster that is Dai, how he's gotten into this mess and the known eye watering numbers involved, which would appear to be the tip of the iceberg. In any other world Dai would be doing bird. I suspect that may well still happen for him.

If that book is about the details of the financial wrangling and gamesmanship and who owns what and who had exclusivity and who breached NDAs and the EFL and their role or not, etc., etc., you can count me out

Count me out too. File under True Crime, not under Sport.

Anyone know where Dai actually is right now / last seen or heard of?

[Mr Angry]

The only way for Reading FC to move forward is for Dai to be gone.

The announcement by the EFL of the granting of the extension enabling Dai to complete a sale to 22/4 is a positive step to seeing Dai gone, as it strongly implies there is a genuine impetus to selling the club; after all, if there wasn't, why wouldn't the EFL have announced that Dai WASN'T close enough to the sale of the club, and that they were beginning the process to "take whatever sanctions necessary" accordingly?

Additionally, the date of 22nd April appears to have been specifically requested by Reading FC; that again implies that on or - presumably before - that date, Reading FC are confident that Dai would have sold the club.

Alternatively, it could all be a massive smokescreen; the EFL knows that Dai is nowhere near selling the club but in order to maintain the integrity of the competition, they are spinning everything out until the end of the season (thus preventing potential disruption - even postponements - of Reading games by disgruntled fans) and will expel us after the season has ended.

I guess we will only know the truth no later than 22nd April; if Dai hasn't sold us by then, we are fukced.