Reading council leader raises concern about League One club with secretary of state
- Published
Reading Borough Council leader Jason Brock tells BBC South sports editor Lewis Coombes why the club is important to the town
The leader of Reading Borough Council has written to Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer to raise his concerns about the future of League One club Reading.
The Royals have been served a winding-up petition by His Majesty's Revenue & Customs over unpaid tax bills.
The financially troubled club already faces a series of charges handed down by the English Football League.
"Something needs to be done to resolve this worrying situation," councillor Jason Brock told BBC South Today.
"It is a club seriously in crisis and it's really worrying for the town."
Reading were docked six points towards the end of last season which contributed to their relegation from the Championship, meaning they will play in the third tier next season for the first time in 21 years.
The club has since been charged by the EFL with failing to pay their players on time and in full on three occasions last season.
Royals owner Dai Yongge was also charged with causing the club to be in breach of EFL regulations, with Reading and Dai both given until 16:00 BST on Thursday, 29 June to respond to the charges.
Last week the EFL added non-payment of tax to the list of reasons Reading are under a transfer embargo.
"Football clubs are always an important part of any community," Brock added.
"The fans are the life of the club and they are concerned, so I am concerned.
"So it was right that me and my fellow councillor Adele Barnett-Ward - who co-signed the letter raising this issue - write to the secretary of state.
"It is a period of profound uncertainty and I am really worried about the possibility that the current owners might look to asset-strip the club."
Council leader Brock said a mounting sense of frustration over the inactivity of Reading's owners during the crisis led him to write the letter.
"It is time for the government to step up but I think the professional game, both the English Football League and the Football Association, needs to ask some serious questions of itself as well," he said.
"At the end of the day this is about the fans and the community."
The BBC has contacted Reading for comment but they are yet to respond.
Prior to the club being charged by the EFL earlier this month, Reading chief executive Dayong Pang posted a letter to fans where he said he was "confident" the club would "fully correct the mistakes that were made many years ago".
He added: "As a club, financially we continue to face a number of significant challenges and our owner, Mr Dai, is working very hard to resolve those issues to ensure the future of Reading Football Club is stable, successful, progressive and positive."