A collection of Reading FC fans have announced plans for a protest ahead of the Royals' 150th anniversary celebration match against Coventry City on Saturday, February 12th.
The announcement comes after weeks of growing discontent from large swathes of the fanbase who have become frustrated by the off-the-pitch running of the club and the results on it.
Reading have won just two of their last 16 Championship fixtures, losing 11 of them. They are on a run of six consecutive defeats in all competitions, capped by last weekend's 4-0 drubbing at QPR.
Many fans feel it's time for manager Veljko Paunovic to depart but there are no signs that will happen imminently, with the Chronicle reporting in mid-January that the expectation around the club is he will see out the season.
Off the pitch, supporters have grown increasingly concerned about the running of the club following heavy spending over the last few years that incurred the wrath of the EFL, eventually leading to a six-point deduction.
It's unclear, what, if anything, has changed in the running of the club with multiple sources confirming the continued presence of Kia Joorabchian.
Sitting just two points clear of the relegation zone, there are real concerns over the short and long-term future of the club and fans have decided to act over their worries.
We want our Reading back 🎵
— Club 1871 (@Club1871) February 2, 2022
We want to see a commitment from the club to change the direction in which it is run and for this to be shared with fans
Protest details:
📅 12th Feb, 1pm
📍Outside main stadium entrance
✅ Bring noise, bring banners, bring yourselves#ReadingFC pic.twitter.com/vUoaBEeeXQ
"We want out Reading back," the announcement of the protest, put out by Club 1871 along with other supprter groups reads.
"A protest outside the main stadium entrance has been arranged for 1PM vs Coventry.
"Show the club your current feeling and help get them to commit to change the running of the club for the better.
"Bring noise. Bring banners. Bring loyalty.
"1,000 voices in person is louder than 10,000 voices online. Support your club. On and off the field."
Members of Club 1871 held up a protest banner at the Select Car Leasing Stadium ahead of Reading's recent defeat to Huddersfield Town and one member of the fan group told the Reading Chronicle that they would continue to protest if they felt it necessary.
"We don’t want to continue having to make banners against the club we love, putting out opinions that we shouldn’t feel like we have to voice," they said. "But ultimately if there’s no change then we have to try and voice our opinions and our concerns."
Club 1871 have also announced that they will not protest during the game itself, choosing to focus on the club's 150th anniversary with a display celebrating Reading's history.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel