Reading FC owner Dai Yongge and CEO Dayong Pang have written an open letter to Royals supporters ahead of the club's 150th anniversary celebration game on Saturday against Coventry City.
Fans have grown restless and frustrated over the past months as results on the pitch crater against a murky background as questions are asked of how the club is being run from the top down.
Wednesday night's 2-1 defeat to Bristol City was Reading's seventh-straight defeat in all competitions and they have now failed to win since the late November victory at Swansea City.
Much of the fans' recent ire has been levied at manager Veljko Paunovic with a large portion of the travelling supporters at Ashton Gate making it clear that they want the Serbian relieved of his duties.
Saturday should be a momentous day of celebration with the largest crowd of the season at the Selet Car Leasing Stadium and sections of the fanbase are planning on taking the opportunity to protest against the running of the club.
In their open letter, the owner and CEO have pleaded with the supporters to put any "negativity" to the side - a tall order considering the very real concerns at almost every level of the club.
The full letter can be reading below:
Dear Royals supporters,
This is a thank you. This weekend, we are delighted to welcome so many of you all to the Select Car Leasing Stadium for an occasion which can bring us all together in celebration of this club’s 150th anniversary. Thank you so much for your support.
This club has real history. Our 150th anniversary event on Saturday is marking a magnificent achievement for everyone connected to Reading Football Club – owners, managers, coaches, players, staff…past and present. But most of all, our fans. Supporters stick by their side through the good times and the bad and you, our fans, deserve our sincere appreciation and our unreserved gratitude for the loyalty and love you have shown this club.
This season has been tough. We know. We have accepted a points deduction. We have accepted the strict transfer limitations we have had to work with. We have to accept that due to our circumstances and an unimaginable injury crisis, consistent performances have been difficult and achieving results has not been easy. We are in a fight and we need to fight together. To do that, we need you.
Right now, our only aim is to try to stay up. We have a squad of players which has the ability to earn the results we need and we have more than a third of the season to turn this around. One game at a time, a galvanised group of players with the support of our fans in the stands, have to put every ounce of energy into propelling this club forward. Then, in the summer, we can reset. Refocus and begin to build.
We will be better, on and off the pitch. We vowed to fix the issues of the past and that work has already begun. Put simply, though, we need your support. We ask this of you a lot. But it is true. We know supporting a football club isn’t easy. And it isn’t always enjoyable. We won’t always get it right. You’ll not agree with everything we do and what we try might not always work. Fans will always have their voice and it will always be heard. That won’t change and nor should it. However, negativity can’t help us in our fight. We hear your concerns and appreciate your frustration, your pain and anger. But the remainder of this season can’t be about a club fighting itself. This has to be us against the world.
On Saturday, we play Coventry City at the Select Car Leasing and we celebrate the 150th anniversary of our club’s first ever competitive fixture. We have a whole host of activities planned for the day and you have rallied behind us to fill every seat in the stands. Alone, that won’t earn us three points. We know we have to perform for you. But remember, to these players, a few extra percent from their fans matters. It can make the difference.
And win, lose or draw, all we ask is that you get behind the team and give us the best chance of success on Saturday and for the remaining 16 games that follow!
Thank you for your continued loyal, understanding and vocal support.
Mr Dai Yongge, Owner
Mr Dayong Pang, Chief Executive
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