Ex-Wycombe Wanderers owner targeting Reading FC takeover | OneFootball

Rob Couhig is part of a consortium that is interested in purchasing League One club Reading, according to the Daily Star (Print edition 10/6; page 44).

Couhig, 75, was previously the owner of Wycombe Wanderers before their sale in the off-season.

The American stayed on as Chairman after the takeover, but he stepped down from this role last week and that increased speculation after he was reportedly seen at the Select Car Leasing Stadium during the latter stages of last month.

Visiting the stadium on more than one occasion, some Royals fans weren't happy about this news, after the Bearwood saga back in March.

Wycombe planned to buy the Royals' training ground back in March, but the latter's supporters strongly opposed this move and decided to protest outside Adam's Park to make themselves heard.

Just days after this decision was announced, the Chairboys opted to put their purchase of the state-of-the-art training facility on hold, and Couhig criticised some Royals fans for their protests against the proposed sale of Bearwood.

Reading fans reacted very strongly to this on social media and following the positive news about the Bearwood sale being put on hold, there was more promising news during the latter stages of March when it was announced that the League One side had entered a period of exclusivity with a potential buyer.

Unfortunately, a sale is yet to go through and the period of exclusivity has now ended, allowing other consortiums to throw their hat in the ring to purchase the Berkshire outfit.

Having finished in the bottom half of the third tier last term after struggling with ownership problems for much of the season, they need a sale as quickly as possible ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Rob Couhig interested in Reading FC takeover deal

There is a US-Saudi consortium that has offered £30m+ for the club in recent days, according to the Reading Chronicle.

That consortium is reportedly led by former footballer Marc Bircham.

And Couhig has now been linked, having resigned as Chairman of the Chairboys last week.

It's unclear whether this resignation signals that there has been movement on a potential takeover at the SCL Stadium.

Rob Couhig securing a takeover may not be the worst outcome for Reading FC

Couhig did a fairly good job at Wycombe and he may have recorded a second promotion to the Championship during his time in charge at Adams Park, if it wasn't for a strong Sunderland side back in 2022.

Right now, what the Berkshire outfit needs is financial stability and this is what the American businessman could provide.

The 75-year-old is already familiar with life in the region after previously owning the Chairboys, so he could potentially make a positive start with the Royals.

They need an owner who can make a positive start to life in Berkshire considering the start of pre-season isn't too far away - and Couhig could potentially pass EFL checks reasonably quickly considering he recently owned another EFL club.

Fans are right to have reservations about Couhig after the Bearwood saga, but the club can't afford to be choosy considering they are still in a fairly desperate situation at the moment.

A quick purchase is needed - and Couhig could potentially be approved quickly. It remains to be seen whether the rest of his consortium would pass these checks swiftly too.