The Royals are facing issues with unpaid taxes in September and October, which has resulted in the EFL referring Reading Football Club to an Independent Disciplinary Commission (IDC) due to their ongoing non-payment of taxes owed to HMRC. This outstanding tax bill has put the club under a registration embargo.
Furthermore, the club is unable to make player transfers involving fees for the next three transfer windows because they have accumulated 79 days of late payments within the current 12-month period, far exceeding the 30-day limit set by EFL rules. The EFL rules mandate that clubs failing to make payments, as is the case with Reading, should be referred to an independent commission, which will determine an appropriate additional penalty.
Notably, the Royals previously faced an IDC judgment for failing to pay their players on time three times last season, resulting in a four-point deduction for the club.
EFL Chief Executive, Trevor Birch, acknowledged the challenges faced by all parties involved and expressed understanding of the frustrations of supporters and the adverse effects of sporting sanctions and additional charges on the football club. He emphasized the need for fair and consistent treatment of all 72 member clubs to maintain the integrity of the competition. The ongoing failures of the club’s ownership to meet its obligations have repercussions on all clubs, and thus, the established deterrents must be enforced when breaches occur.
The EFL has also mentioned that personal proceedings against Reading’s owner, Dai Yongge, are ongoing because of his failure to deposit 125% of the club’s monthly wage bill into a designated account. A hearing for Mr. Dai is scheduled to take place by the end of November.
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