The former Reading defender has discussed the circumstances around the club’s ownership. Millwall’s Jake Cooper has spoken out on Reading’s takeover predicament.
The Royals declared on Wednesday evening that they were no longer in exclusive talks with a potential buyer for the League One club.
The Berkshire outfit had signed a letter of intent with a potential investor, but no agreement could be reached within the exclusivity period.
Given the severe financial situation that current main stakeholder Dai Yongge has left the club in, supporters are hopeful that a new owner will take over shortly.
The third-tier squad was deducted points by the EFL on many times in recent seasons due to different financial rule violations, which played a key influence.
They were relegated from the Championship in 2023.
Jake Cooper tells up on the Reading takeover predicament. Cooper, who came up through Reading’s academy system, is disappointed with the state of his old club.
He has emphasized the necessity of having an active owner, mentioning his own club, Millwall, as an example that others should follow.
“It’s really sad to see what’s going on with the club,” Cooper told SportsBoom.com.
“My nephew attends the academy there, and the last year or so has been difficult to see.
“We’re hopeful that there’s a buyer from what I’m reading, and perhaps the club can have some stability and start moving back toward the huge club that
it is.
“Hopefully, they can quickly find a new owner and get this chapter of the club’s history behind them.
“It’s a shame to see.”But I’m lucky and privileged to be affiliated with Millwall, which has one of the best owners around.
“Seeing how Reading and other clubs are treated makes you truly respect them. It demonstrates how lucky we are.
“The fans are the ones that suffer the most.
“They have had a difficult time.
“They’ll be watching their favourite club and seeing their favourite players or staff leave.
“Football clubs are established on local communities, and it is simply wrong to lay off employees. They are not.
Getting compensated and such. This is a shame.
“It shows you what, unfortunately, can happen when the wrong people get their hands on football clubs.” Jake Cooper’s achievements at Millwall following his transfer from Reading
Cooper rose through the Reading ranks, making the first team in 2014 before moving to Millwall in January 2017.
The 29-year-old initially joined the Lions on loan before committing to a permanent move that summer.
He went on to become an important member of Millwall’s first team, appearing in almost 300 league games for the London side (all statistics from Fbref).
Cooper will be hoping the team can improve next year and avoid another relegation struggle, as his team finished only nine points clear of the
The bottom three are in 13th place. Reading takeover solution is required quickly.
Reading cannot continue in this manner under existing ownership, since it is proving immensely harmful to the club and its supporters.
The termination of the exclusivity period has advantages and disadvantages, as it allows other bidders to enter the market and dispute offers, perhaps speeding up the process.
However, the failure to reach an agreement since exclusivity was granted in late March is alarming, raising doubts about the reasons for the delay.
The sooner this saga is over, the better for Reading.
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