Russell Cummings

Cycling stats interspersed by the frustrations of a Reading FC fan

[IP Group - visionary ventures @IPGroupplc]

The acquisition of portfolio co @FeaturespaceLtd is an exciting moment.

On completion, we expect to receive a record £134m of cash, an excellent financial return, demonstrating both the value & the impact opportunity of our portfolio.

Read more about our 12-year-journey below

[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

[Robert Penn @RobPennWildwood]

I did a wee interview with my friend Andy Dix of @TwmpaCycles for the @WhitneySawmill newsletter. Andy makes the most exquisite bicycle frames from ash.

https://t.co/3V8x9YkwpI

[Russell Cummings @RussCpang]

Great win for Reading fans, who deserve a bit of luck! URZ! https://t.co/trDhqQaJCj

[EPR @ElmParkRoyals]

We are now essentially 10 points clear of the relegation zone which is remarkable considering we were 10 points adrift in November……

Sensational effort from Ruben and the whole squad. UTFD💙

[Eleanor Flood 💙 @Eleanor18Flood]

@LowerTiers Right now we'd take Sooty and Sweep so yes we'd have them as owners #readingfc #SellBeforeWeDai

[Sky Sports News @SkySportsNews]

EFL Chair, Rick Parry is meeting with Reading fans today following the abandonment of their match with Port Vale

He was questioned today on the future of Reading by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee

[talkSPORT @talkSPORT]

“It was the right thing to do!” 👏🔵

“The EFL have to take a look… How was this guy allowed to take over in the first place?!”

Jeff Stelling backs the #ReadingFC protest on the pitch, amidst worrying ownership issues.

[‏َ @rfcmpo]

Thank you for the mention and support 💙 @GNev2 @officialdrury #ReadingFC

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

"We call on the @EFL to continue with their aim to expel Dai Yongge as an owner and we call on our fans to stay organised and united. We want this to be our last abandoned match, but it is just the start of this elevated protest action." @SellBeforeWeDai #ReadingFC

[Andy Preston @AndyPreston96]

Brian McDermott, what a man💙 #ReadingFC

[IP Group - visionary ventures @IPGroupplc]

An exciting announcement today from portfolio company @FeaturespaceLtd who have launched TallierLTM™ - the world's first Large Transaction Model (LTM).

Read the full press release here: https://t.co/O0BcK0Wq3G

Learn more about TallierLTM™ here: https://t.co/Qukp7sNWgv

[IP Group - visionary ventures @IPGroupplc]

More exciting news this week from portfolio company Nexeon who have signed an agreement for its first commercial volume production site and secured raw material supply chain for silicon anodes.

Learn more: https://t.co/pk557GFWC8

#EV #EVBatteries

Picture: Nexeon

[Katy Madgwick @writebikerepeat]

Featuring photography from @ruby_roubaix, @RussCpang, @welshmummabear, @sparrowlegs77, and @jamie_and_bikes as the first entrants to the photo comp! #TDF2023

[Russell Cummings @RussCpang]

Le Tour Dispatch: Fri 14 Jul - Woohoo! I’m a published photographer!! 😀 https://t.co/okUV3BiGCi

[Russell Cummings @RussCpang]

@writebikerepeat I couldn’t find the competition on your website but hopefully you got 3 via DM?

[Russell Cummings @RussCpang]

@writebikerepeat Yes, I’d love to! A happy amateur returned from Bordeaux

[Russell Cummings @RussCpang]

@writebikerepeat 2km out on the approach to Bordeaux, Jasper Philipsen cruising nicely behind the Alpecin-Deceuninck train!