Reading FC

The only way is up: Reading FC chairman Sir John Madejski
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Madejski: Reading FC in great shape for a Premier League push

By Jonny Fordham
August 04, 2010

Sir John Madejski believes football is finally adjusting to life in the real world as Reading gear up for a Premier League push this season.

Speaking to the Post at his penthouse apartment in Madejski Stadium, the Royals chairman reaffirmed his commitment to run the club on a sound financial basis, whilst remaining ambitious.

Reading have had to live with a summer of speculation surrounding their star players, but the 69-year-old entrepreneur maintained that everything is being done to ensure manager Brian McDermott has the best squad possible to compete in the Championship.

Reading v Scunthorpe United

“We’ve lost the parachute payments (of £12million) and life is tough,” admitted Sir John.

“We’ve had to say goodbye to some very good people and we have to live within our means. When you’re used to spending that kind of money on players and wages it’s a bitter pill when you lose it.

“Football is in the real world like everybody else. It has lived beyond its means for years and I’ve been banging on about that for as long as I can remember.

“But when I’m in the hot-seat I will always give 100 per cent and more. Our next goal is to get back into the Premier League. It always has been.”

Reading FC webchat with Jonny Fordham

Reading spent two seasons in the top flight between 2006 and 2008 and Sir John still dreams of returning there and being able to increase the capacity of the stadium from 24,000 to 38,000.

At the same time he won’t risk the long-term future of the club by going for bust.

“We have to live within our means and there is no way I’m going to preside over a club that is not run properly,” he explained.

“We’ve got a great club, one of the finest in the country. We’ve got a great manager and a great squad of players and we’re doing well.

“The stadium is absolutely fabulous, the training ground is second to none and we’ve got the Full Monty for top-division football.”

Reading have sold just shy of 11,000 season tickets so far after reducing prices for the new campaign, which starts at home to Scunthorpe United on Saturday.

Sir John added: “We know it’s tough out there, so we felt it was prudent to give supporters a bit of help.

"The club is an important part of the community and it plays an enormous role in the feel-good factor to people in the area. That’s very important to me.”

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Once SJM was our benefactor. More like a stewardship now and actually like Portsmouth, the assets separated from the football activites. That I find confusing. And who decided not to progress investment in the stadium extension, which seemed to set the trend thereafter for the way the club was to be managed. Supporting Reading is like a favourite old broom, the players may chnage, the manager may change, the ground can change, the chairman could change, , but it remains 'the club' bigger than any of them, to be supported all your life come what may.

Silver Royal, Woodley
06/08/2010 at 10:35

Expom, you ask me about the general running of a club. Get this...I DONT RUN A CLUB!

I have to say I admire clubs like Blackpool who are taking what they can from the Premier League by spending nothing. They may get beaten a lot, they may nick a few results but what they won’t be is broke 2 or 3 years from now. They recognise the Premier League for what it is, a cash cow. The football is generally rubbish in the top flight, so Blackpool won’t be bringing anything worse than what is already there.

Bushes Bernal, New Moderator for GetReading
06/08/2010 at 10:07

Im with Bushes on this, no way can we become big spenders without "new" money in the club, but even that guarentees nothing, we have seen it so many times before, go up spend money , still come down and oops in financial doo doo. The current and sensible Chairman, has it spot on, if we get premoted (which i think is unlikely) this season then we go up, try and find afew bargains who are willing to join us, try and stay up on sound financial footing and if we go down then invest again and push for premotion again, i have no problem with this, it is sound and exciting. Whilst we all would like a Billionaire as a chairman, increasing the ground size is one of the first priorities, then we can invest sensibly in the team. I think some Fans, propbaly the ones i who did not turn up when we were losing last year, haved unrealistic expectations and are living in Cloud Cuckoo land, i suggest you support Manchester City or Chelsea.

Brother Horus
06/08/2010 at 08:59

You have not answered them direct, you have stepped around them. So what i ask or say will always be waste of time in your world and it really makes me laugh when you don't read what people have to say properly. So let the season begin and the friendly banter continue.

Expom, Christchurch New Zealand
06/08/2010 at 08:12

Easy? Your questions are nonsense Expom. Full of vagaries as per usual.

Maybe your questions are best directed to John Madejski, im sure he'll give them the same time I did.

'They will need a pretty good cash flow for the players and what would you consider a good investment of money to stay up?'

Could you be anymore vague Expom? I may get a decent question out of you at some point.

Bushes Bernal, New Moderator for GetReading
05/08/2010 at 23:28

Bushes you still have not answered the questions i have asked and they are easy to reply to?

Expom, Christchurch New Zealand
05/08/2010 at 19:41

Tom has lost it, poor old Tom.

Carry on spending the Chairman's money in your head. Laughable.

Bushes Bernal, New Moderator for GetReading
05/08/2010 at 15:38

Bushes I think you better pack your bags and head to Portsmouth, maybe you can give their footy club some of your "sound" financial advice... (probably)

And I reckon most school kids would have literacy skills that put yours to shame, one must end up feeling slightly inadequate during the summer period.

Atomic Tom
05/08/2010 at 15:21

The numpties are out in force i see. Only when the schools are out.

Bushes Bernal, New Moderator for GetReading
05/08/2010 at 14:20

Bushes B-eternally stupid

Dave Smith, Reading
05/08/2010 at 13:33

Yes Bushes that's exactly what I put... the fact that people can merely "scroll" down the page and read what I "actually" posted, only adds to your stupidy.

Honestly if it weren't for people like you, this town might actually be bearable.

Atomic Tom
05/08/2010 at 13:31

Atomic Tom wants Reading to compete financially with Man City and Chelsea.

Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous in your life?

Bushes Bernal, New Moderator for GetReading
05/08/2010 at 13:11

Hey GetReading, its all very well accepting plaudits for the message board here but you really really REALLY need to get someone to approve messages more than once an hour.

Whoever is the editor today is frankly taking the urine.

Bushes Bernal, New Moderator for GetReading
05/08/2010 at 12:59

Bushes Bernal, New (illiterate) NOBerator for GetReading

Did you even read what I posted ?? You keep on NOBerating buddy

Atomic Tom
05/08/2010 at 12:03

Expom, another Premier League obssesive.

My club is doing things correctly, sooner rather than later many clubs will follow the sensible buisness model Reading have trailblazed. You worry about your own club son.