Reading FC sponsors continue 'significant' support to women's team

Founded by two season ticket holders, Select Car Leasing have naming rights on the stadium until 203 and have been involved with the club since 2015.

They hold a special place in the hearts of the wider fanbase as during the turbulent financial crisis with owner Dai Yongge, the firm have stepped up and in the past loaned money to ensure bills and salaries were paid on time.

We are genuinely lucky to have such amazing sponsors. And if you haven’t dealt with @SC_Leasing to get a lease car, I can personally tell you that they are top class in that respect too #readingfc https://t.co/hPp8WYZgrY

— Colin White (@_col__83) November 29, 2024

Honest to god, the best sponsor of a football club we’ve ever had and probably will ever have.

Club should be sold to Mark Tongue on principle. #readingfc https://t.co/yzvRMhanzk

— Greg Double (@Dubstep1988) November 29, 2024

One casualty of the ownership crisis has been the women's side, which was a long-term member of the Women's Super League and former FA Cup semi finalists.

Relegated in 2022, the side now play in Southern Region Women's Football League, are an amateur set-up run by the Community Trust and are based out of Slough, not the town which it represents.

If/When a new owner comes in I really hope they recognise what @SC_Leasing have done for this club in recent times. Appreciate it's a numbers game and £££ is king at times, but SCL have to remain in someway associated to the club. More protests if not. #Readingfc https://t.co/768Vcl6soL

— Guilty, I support Reading. (@Reading106) November 29, 2024

The sponsorship will see the Select Car Leasing brand displayed on the front of Women’s Team match kits for the current season, reflecting the association with the men’s side and highlighting the importance Select Car Leasing place on the development of women and girls’ football locally.

CEO of Select Car Leasing, Mark Tongue said “It’s incredibly important to us that we’ve extended our sponsorship to include the Women’s side again. We take our role in supporting Reading Football Club and the associated community very seriously, and this commitment also applies to all aspects of the Women’s game. We’re passionate about encouraging women’s and girls’ football so it was an easy decision for us to extend our sponsorship to include the women’s team.  As a business, it’s also important for us to open more opportunities for women to enter our industry and enjoy successful careers in the automotive industry.”

Dave Evans, Head of Reading FC Community Trust added: “I’d like to place on record how thankful we are to Select Car Leasing in the support they continue to offer The Trust, the Women’s team and the Football Club generally. The extended partnership makes an immediate impact on our operation and will significantly help us deliver better, more impactful programmes for women’s football locally – as well as supporting our objectives at first team level.”