Former Reading star praises EFL ahead of potential expulsion, ‘absolutely sure’ right call made

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Reading Football Club’s future in the EFL is hanging in the balance and one former player has now spoken out.

Since Dai Yongge took over the football club in 2017, the Royals have endured a very trying period.

Reading have lost almost £160m since his arrival and fallen down the EFL ladder.

He took over with the team in the Championship, but after several years of narrowly avoiding the drop, they were relegated to League One in 2023.

In the current campaign, despite selling star striker Sam Smith to Wrexham in the winter transfer window, Reading are still in with an outside chance of securing a play-off place come May.

However, recent developments at the club mean they may be expelled from the EFL entirely in the coming weeks.

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Jobi McAnuff says EFL doing what is best for Reading

A report from BBC Sport last week confirmed that Yongge was given a deadline of April 4 to sell Reading after being disqualified under the EFL’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test.

A statement from the EFL read: “Following its disclosure in open court earlier today, the League can confirm that Mr Yongge has been recently disqualified under the EFL’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test. 

“The disqualification requires Mr Yongge to divest his interests in the Club, and in the event that he fails to do so within the agreed timeframe, the League will consider all options available within its regulations to bring the matter to a conclusion.

“The League continues to work closely with Reading FC to progress a sale of the Club at the earliest opportunity, in order to end the current uncertainty surrounding its future for its staff, supporters and wider community.”

It has since been widely reported that if the sale of Reading is not completed by the aforementioned deadline, they could be thrown out of the EFL.

This is obviously a concerning time for all involved with the club, but when speaking on BBC Sport’s Football Daily: 72+: The EFL Podcast this week, former Reading player Jobi McAnuff was quick to praise the EFL for their efforts, suggesting he’s sure they are doing what is best for the Royals.

He said: “Listen, I think that is the big worry for Reading fans you know, that comparison with Burry, and ultimately that’s the bottom line here. They expel him as an owner, and he doesn’t sell the football club, they can no longer continue as a football club and would go out of business.

“So I think for the EFL, there’s no way they would have come to this decision lightly they’re trying to do, I’m absolutely sure of it, the best they can for Reading Football Club, and I think this is from their perspective, just hopefully sort of the last thing they can maybe do to force Dai Yongge’s hand to make sure that he does sell that football club and sell it as quickly as possible because this is has been going on way too long.”

Which teams have been expelled from the EFL

Reading would not be the first side to be expelled from the EFL in recent years.

As mentioned above, Bury were also forced out back in 2019 after a takeover bid from C&N Sporting Risk collapsed.

Prior to Bury, Maidstone were liquidated in 1992 and removed from the EFL.