Latest news with #RobCouhig
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Reading confirm plans for exciting season ticket holder open day at Bearwood
Reading have confirmed plans for the highly-anticipated season ticket holders open day at Bearwood this summer. With new owner Rob Couhig at the helm, season ticket holders were encouraged to purchase or renew early with the offer a trip to Bearwood for anyone who did so before June 6. Advertisement The state-of-the-art facility has been open since 2019 but has never fully opened for supporters to visit before. However, fans will now have the chance to have a two-hour tour of the home of the men and Academy side on Sunday, July 15. "I think most fans knew we had something special here," Couhig told the club. "There was a little thought of what Rob was going to do with this facility, but I don't think those people understood me at all so I'm going to forgive them for now. "We want them to come out and get the full breadth of being a true Reading football fan. This facility is important and we will plan some special things for the day. It will start early on go on for a long time. People will be invited out in two-hour shifts because we have so many season ticket holders." Advertisement Emails will be sent out accordingly to those eligible, with the date coming in three weeks time. Fixtures for the new season are announced on Wednesday, June 26 and the season gets underway on the first weekend of August.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Reading sign Lincoln skipper O'Connor
Reading have signed defender Paudie O'Connor on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Lincoln City. The 27-year-old has penned a four-year deal through until the summer of 2029 and is the the first player arrival under the new ownership of Rob his time with the Imps, O'Connor made 142 appearances, scoring eight goals, having previously played 129 games for Bradford City. "Paudie is a fantastic lad and will be a big character in the dressing room," Reading boss Noel Hunt said."He's exactly the type of person we want at our football club for our rebuild, he's been a huge part of Lincoln's success over the past three years."We've had our eyes on him for a while and I've been a big admirer of his for some time. "I knew about him when he was in the Leeds set-up, and I can't wait to work with him on a day to day basis."The centre-back's arrival is the latest good news for Reading fans after recent new contracts signed by Lewis Wing and Joel Pereira. "Paudie was always the person we expected to sign at this point," owner Couhig said."It was important for us to get Lewis, Joel, and now Paudie, because it demonstrates to the lads in the club our commitment, it demonstrates to our fans our commitment, and lets the league at large know that we're here to play."We want guys of strong character who bring more to the dressing room than simply the ability to kick a ball - and he does that in spades. "He's a heck of a player, so the combination of the two equates to the ideal Reading player."
BBC News
14-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Reading 'want to give back to the fans'
Reading chief executive Joe Jacobson has said that he and others at the club want to "give back to the fans" and "bring them good news" regarding new contracts and signings. After Rob Couhig's takeover was completed, former Wycombe player Jacobson was announced as CEO, forming part of a fresh ownership group at the Royals. The 38-year-old has been brought in with the first task of convincing a number of first-team players to sign new deals to stay at the club. In May, Reading offered new deals to 11 players and so far just one - goalkeeper Joel Pereria - has agreed to re-sign. Since Couhig's arrival, only Pereria and midfielder Lewis Wing have signed new deals."We're competing with other teams that want our players," Jacobson told BBC Radio Berkshire. "We're working hard behind the scenes. There will be some new faces in as well. "We're hoping that some of the players will see Joel and Lewis signing and think that they want to be a part of that."If we can add to this and sign some good players on top as we build the squad, then hopefully we can be successful."At the final game of last season, despite there being disappointment at missing out on the League One play-offs, fans turned up in numbers and celebrated news of a new owner and new chapter at the club. Jacobson had been rumoured to be coming in ever since Couhig's ambitions of taking over were first despite having only recently being appointed, he said that he was well aware of the efforts supporters had made to bring attention to their ownership situation across the past few years. "The fans have been incredible so far," Jacobson said."It feels like they have someone to get behind in Rob. We want to give these fans as much good news as they can get."They almost saved this club themselves last season, not just financially but being in the public eye and demonstrating. It has been amazing and we now want to give back to them."We were here for the final game of the season when there was a near-full stadium. We want that every week and it is now up to us to put a squad together that can make the experience of coming to Reading special and making them want to keep coming back." 'Free transfer and loans' this summer For the first time in a long time this summer, Reading will be able to operate in the transfer market and bring in players without the restrictions they faced under former owner Dai Yongge. As well as tying down those whose contracts are soon set to expire, if Reading want to better last season and make a big push for promotion, then emphasis will be on adding to their transfer window reopens on Monday after being open for a brief period last week. "Right now where we are looking at is mainly free transfers and loans," Jacobson said."It's slow at the moment everywhere. It feels like everyone is after the same small group of players and just before pre-season it speeds up a bit."We have our targets and we have spoken to some that we want. There is some that we have offered contracts out to that we're speaking to daily, people we really want that would be exciting for the football club."Hopefully we can have some more exciting news quite soon."
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Couhig hints at securing new investors for Reading
Reading owner Rob Couhig has hinted that he and business partner Todd Trossclair are working to "bring in a couple of partners" to add more financial firepower to the club. The American businessman and lawyer completed a takeover of the Royals in mid-May and has since been working alongside new chief executive officer Joe Jacobson to get the club back on its feet. Couhig has said that manager Noel Hunt will have money to spend on players this summer, and suggested that he is looking to bring in more investors. "We're doing some things to make sure that Todd and I are not alone out there with our money," Couhig told BBC Radio Berkshire. "Although I think we could certainly afford it, we're bringing in a couple of partners that will add to our financial strength. "When it comes to spending, you can't go in like Mr Dai (Yongge) did and just spend money on players without some rational basis to the revenue the club generates." Bloomberg claimed weeks ago that Miami-based investment firm - Aliya Capital Partners were set to join Reading's ownership group. Part of the work that Couhig has done so far is to organise which of the players will be staying and which will be leaving this summer. The annual retained list showed that 11 first-team players had been offered new deals, and since then midfielder Lewis Wing has been the only one that has committed to remain. "We know how much money we can spend without violating the rules," Couhig added. "We will have as much money as all but three or four clubs in the league. "We're doing everything we can to increase the revenue so we can spend as much as we can on players, the more we spend on players then the better chance we have of success. "Our goal is to be successful and we want to be ambitious but honour our core principles of honesty, transparency and financial sustainability." Couhig also touched on the Royals' academy, and what the future would hold for what is currently a 'category one' set-up. Reading are well-known for their development of young players, with a prime example being Michael Olise, who the club financially benefitted from when he made a big money move from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich in 2024. "We're going to do our best to keep the academy as a category one," Couhig said. "But I'm a huge believer in the Brentford or Wycombe model where you have a great developmental squad which brings in late teens performing at a high level in with the first team. "What probably will happen we won't know for sure for some months as I haven't had a chance to chat about it yet, but Joe (Jacobson) has and he's making it a priority, the academy is not going anywhere." Reading offer new deals to 11 but release six Reading midfielder Wing signs three-year deal 'I stick with it,' new owner Couhig reassures Royals Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Couhig hints at securing new investors for Reading
Reading owner Rob Couhig has hinted that he and business partner Todd Trossclair are working to "bring in a couple of partners" to add more financial firepower to the American businessman and lawyer completed a takeover of the Royals in mid-May and has since been working alongside new chief executive officer Joe Jacobson to get the club back on its feet. Couhig has said that manager Noel Hunt will have money to spend on players this summer, and suggested that he is looking to bring in more investors. "We're doing some things to make sure that Todd and I are not alone out there with our money," Couhig told BBC Radio Berkshire."Although I think we could certainly afford it, we're bringing in a couple of partners that will add to our financial strength."When it comes to spending, you can't go in like Mr Dai (Yongge) did and just spend money on players without some rational basis to the revenue the club generates."Bloomberg claimed weeks ago, external that Miami-based investment firm - Aliya Capital Partners were set to join Reading's ownership group. Part of the work that Couhig has done so far is to organise which of the players will be staying and which will be leaving this summer. The annual retained list showed that 11 first-team players had been offered new deals, and since then midfielder Lewis Wing has been the only one that has committed to remain."We know how much money we can spend without violating the rules," Couhig added. "We will have as much money as all but three or four clubs in the league."We're doing everything we can to increase the revenue so we can spend as much as we can on players, the more we spend on players then the better chance we have of success."Our goal is to be successful and we want to be ambitious but honour our core principles of honesty, transparency and financial sustainability." Uncertainty around academy Couhig also touched on the Royals' academy, and what the future would hold for what is currently a 'category one' set-up. Reading are well-known for their development of young players, with a prime example being Michael Olise, who the club financially benefitted from when he made a big money move from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich in 2024."We're going to do our best to keep the academy as a category one," Couhig said."But I'm a huge believer in the Brentford or Wycombe model where you have a great developmental squad which brings in late teens performing at a high level in with the first team."What probably will happen we won't know for sure for some months as I haven't had a chance to chat about it yet, but Joe (Jacobson) has and he's making it a priority, the academy is not going anywhere."
