Reading Women set to drop out of Championship after takeover falls through
An 11th-hour bid to take over Reading’s women’s team and fund them to stay in the Championship has fallen through, Guardian sport understands, all but ensuring the team will not participate in the second tier of the English pyramid.
According to sources, a consortium made an approach last week to buy the women’s team and maintain them in the Championship, after news emerged of the their plight. Because of that approach, it is understood a one-week extension was granted to Reading by the Football Association to give the women’s club more time to confirm whether they intend to participate in the Championship.
But that potential takeover is believed to be off the cards because of uncertainty around the future ownership of the wider club.
Reading have until 5pm on Friday to inform the FA and the leagues as to which level of the women’s pyramid they intend to field a team next term, if at all, amid growing fears the women’s and girls’ programme may be forced to fold. Players and staff have been anxiously waiting for news for weeks. An update is expected on Friday afternoon.
after newsletter promotion