Takeover-linked controversy has added fuel to Wycombe Wanderers, Reading FC fire | OneFootball

Saturday's meeting between Wycombe Wanderers and Reading could have some added spice.

There has been plenty of drama between Wycombe Wanderers and Reading FC in 2024. On Saturday, the two clubs will meet for the first time since it all unfolded, which could add fuel to the fire.

The Royals and the Chairboys are hardly what you'd call bitter rivals, despite being just 20 miles apart. However, that docile relationship took a turn for the worst earlier this season when Wycombe tried to purchase Reading's state-of-the-art Bearwood training facility. The deal didn't go through, but it certainly left a bitter taste between the two clubs. Incredibly, the saga would take an even crazier turn months later.

The two clubs meet for the first time since this all unfolded on Saturday. With that in mind, the fixture at Adams Park could have some added spice, as the Royals will look to upset the league leaders.

Bearwood saga tainted what was a stable relationship

Dai Yongge has slowly been killing Reading over his tenure as owner, with the club miraculously still running, despite the businessman's best efforts to destroy something that means so much to so many people. Yongge is yet another example of a wealthy man, with no interest or knowledge in football, utilizing a football club as a plaything, as he continues to own the Royals despite many bids to finally get him out.

Back in March, the Chinese businessman tried to sell the club's purpose-built Bearwood training facility, in a desperate bid to raise funds. It was unknown what Yongge would do with the money, should the sale be successful, but it's highly unlikely the rogue owner would've reinvested it into the club. Of course, this garnered attention as a world-class facility was available for a fraction of the price it cost to build.

Wycombe announced that they were in discussions with Reading for the purchase of Bearwood, with the expectation of completion. This didn't go down well with the Royals' fanbase, as many labelled the club as complicit in the murder of another club. The Couhig family were also at the end of some sickening abuse on social media, which further tainted relations between the two clubs.

Eventually, the uproar from the Berkshire outfit saw Wycombe put the deal on hold. Reading supporters gathered outside Adams Park Stadium to protest against the proposed sale. Whilst a majority behaved responsibly in these protests, a few felt the need to vandalise the Adams Park sign outside the stadium. Following the withdrawal of the plans, the Chairboys moved to Harlington in the summer, which brought the saga to an end.

Benji Walker (@benjiwalkerphoto)

It had been clear for a while that Couhig was looking at a succession plan for Wycombe after he left. Being based in America, the travelling simply didn't work logistically for the 75-year-old. When the sale of the Wanderers was confirmed, many expected the former owner to return to the US with his family. This wouldn't be the case though, as some shocking news came just a month later.

The former Wycombe owner was in pole position to purchase the club, whose training ground he'd tried to acquire just months earlier. Couhig had a long period of exclusivity with the League One club's owner, Yongge, which saw him attend a few matches after the season got underway. In an even more expected move, Wycombe legend, Joe Jacobson, was set to become CEO of the Berkshire club, following his retirement from playing.

Of course, this was a shock to Wanderers supporters, especially after the events that unfolded in March. However, Couhig's reign in Buckinghamshire was nothing short of incredible, having overseen promotion to the Championship, and long-term financial sustainability. Unsurprisingly, all fans wished the 75-year-old well in his next chapter, showing that tensions between the clubs had maybe been squashed in the wake of recent news.

The most shocking part of the whole ordeal was that Couhig had lost his love for travelling to England over his time with Wycombe, only to go and try to buy a club 20 miles down the road. Whilst the deal ultimately didn't happen, this was the main reason some supporters were left baffled. Some speculative Royals fans even questioned his true intentions, but there was never any indication that these theories had any substance behind them.

All in all, this was a very confusing time for Wycombe, as they almost saw two of their most beloved people in the club's modern history end up at Reading, just months after the training ground saga.

As mentioned, the Chairboys will play host to the Royals for the first time since March, when the drama unfolded. Whilst things have calmed down since then, it would be fair to assume that both clubs will be eager to get one up on each other more than ever before.

With Ruben Selles' departure expected, it will undoubtedly be an emotional weekend for the travelling supporters, who have sold out the away end at Adams Park. This, coupled with what's gone on in recent months, and the continued unsuccessful takeover attempts will have the visitors well up for the match, as they search to continue defying the odds on the pitch, despite the struggles off it.

Whilst neither of the developments happened, it certainly left a sour taste in the mouths of both parties involved. However, had Bearwood been sold to Wycombe, or Couhig hadn't attempted to buy Reading in the summer, the tension would've been much higher than it would be on Saturday. Regardless, the events that took place earlier in the year have had a lasting impact, which will no doubt show when the Royals visit Adams Park.