Dave Lawrence-Halls

Amateur surgeon, Reading FC fan, unashamed Eurovision lover. Works in telecomms.

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

I'd go as far as to say that's the biggest win of the season. Incredibly well seen out. #ReadingFC

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Dispiriting events at Reading should concern everyone in English football. Fans are lied to, players and an impressive manager are let down, and so are staff. A thoughtless, heartless owner damages a historic club. It’s another warning to all in football. If we tolerate this, then your club could be next.

Fans at some other clubs fear similar pain or just feel relief to have escaped danger. Many will simply focus on their own form and fortunes. Football’s tribal. Most headlines revolve around the big names, the big games like Manchester City versus Arsenal. But Reading embody the pyramid, a local beacon and hub for nurturing talent. Neil Webb started there. The windfall from the Michael Olise deal helps sustain the club currently. Ted Drake learned his managerial trade at Reading before guiding Chelsea to their first title.

Football clubs are community assets and have to be protected from individuals like Dai Yongge wreaking such misery at Reading. He has his motives and his methods but none seem aligned to the club’s future wellbeing. He doesn’t communicate with fans. Reading FC Women withdrew from the Championship because of financial difficulties. Sustained mismanagement of the club has seen a failure to pay men’s players and HMRC lead to points deductions.

A proposed takeover by Rob Couhig, an American businessman welcomed by the fanbase, collapsed, leaving Yongge still in charge and supporters still in torment and again asking questions. Does Yongge really want to sell? If the club goes under is it then all about valuable real estate? Would administration and another points deduction actually be better than this shambles?

And so Reading fans rally again, fighting for their club’s life. But Yongge doesn’t listen. He doesn’t appear to care about the negativity his ownership brings to the door of the dressing-room. Ruben Selles and his whole-hearted squad give everything they can on the field, and sit a defiant 12th in League One, but they aren’t detached from the mess. It must be dismaying and distracting.

Losing Selles would be a disaster. He’s doing a good job in trying circumstances. If he left, Selles would be picked up swiftly by a better run club. Reading fans post messages of support to Selles and his squad. They will back them loudly at Bolton Wanderers today. It’s about finding the balance between demonstrating support for the team while demonstrating against the owner.

Much is right about Reading: committed fanbase, stadium, training ground, the attitude of manager, squad and club staff. It’s just the owner. It’s a nightmare that Reading are living through. And it’s a cautionary tale all football needs to heed. #ReadingFC #EFL

[Ben @becreat1ve1]

@ReadingFC has been a part of my life for 30 years. I’ve seen highs and lows, but I’ve always kept dreaming of that next moment. The one that you’ll always remember. Nothing will ever replace your football team, and no one should ever have to think about losing theirs.

#readingfc #football #community @ElmParkRoyals

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

No bubbles now #ReadingFC, no bubbles. Crucial second goal that

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

I know they owe us no favours, but it does particularly smack that it's clubs that have been through what #readingfc are going through that are picking us apart for bargains...

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

Urgh, never dreaded a Transfer Deadline Day more. Just hope we still have a vaguely recognisable #readingfc by the the of it

[Reading FC @ReadingFC]

𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 | Exeter City 0-9 Reading

Yes, you are reading that right.

#EXEREA | 0-9

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

Bugger.

[Reading FC @ReadingFC]

The Royals are relegated.

We will fight another day and we will rise again.

But right now, it hurts. Fans, staff, players all hurting.

You have always been there…in the good times and the bad.

Thank you for your support all season, right now and in the future 💙

[Nick Knight @NJK20171]

@ElmParkRoyals Overwhelming feeling of sadness. Reading FC have become exactly the club we thought we would never become. A community asset stripped of its heart and soul by a clueless foreign owner prepared to cheat to achieve his personal vanity goal. So very sad. #readingfc

[Greg Double @Dubstep1988]

The one thing the EFL has completely underestimated is the Reading fanbase.

We’re not violent ultras who will smash buildings ups…but we are roughly 90% IT professionals and accountants.

Expect some strongly worded letters EFL, some of them really strongly worded. #readingfc

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

@AJHalls @TheTilehurstEnd Three cheers for Sheffield United

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

Painful watching today's #DailyBriefings. Johnson defending Cummings undermines lockdown efforts and insults the national intelligence...

[James O'Brien @mrjamesob]

He. Didn't. Get. Any. Childcare.

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

🇬🇧🇪🇺🇬🇧🇪🇺

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

I feel genuine sadness tonight. I am European. #Brexitday

[TechnicallyRon (On all the platforms) @TechnicallyRon]

At least the NHS will get 350 million quid a week as of tomorrow so this wasn't all just a game played by rich people to further their own personal agendas whilst lying and dividing the public purely for personal gain and influence under the guise of patriotism #BrexitDay

[Anna Lawrence-Halls @Annalawren]

@DaveHalls_ @peter_smeed and I are the audience for this tonight 👇🏻. Looking forward to seeing Pete’s peeved off face for a whole hour...

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

Oh wow. @ReadingFC have been superb today. Made Cardiff look very ordinary. Finally looking like a team with confidence! #urzz

[Dave Lawrence-Halls @DaveHalls_]

😂