"One disaster after another" - Anton Zingarevich named in Reading FC regret debate | OneFootball

The Russian bought the club in 2012, but it has only progressed backwards since.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Reading FC have had an incredibly troubled few years, with financial issues, points deductions and League One a new norm at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

However, this situation could have been avoided over 12 years ago, when the club were in the Premier League - a now distant memory.

Following promotion from the Championship at the end of the 2011/12 campaign, many supporters had hope that the club could put together a squad that was able to challenge for survival and, in the years following, climb up the top flight.

But, the introduction of owner Anton Zingarevich proved to be a fatal blow before the season had even started, and was the beginning of the long process that has left Reading languishing in the third tier.

The Russian purchased 51% of the club in May 2012, just weeks after the Royals lifted the Championship title - a deal that had been in the pipeline for four months.

But, it was not all that it lived up to be, with Reading facing immediate relegation from the Premier League following their promotion.

They failed on their return to the second tier on their return in 2013/14, finishing 7th, missing out on a place in the play-offs on the final day of the season.

Zingarevich put his 51% share up for sale for £1 following the conclusion of the campaign, but, there was a major catch, with the Berkshire-based side having £38 million worth of debt.

Football League World asked Reading's Fan Pundit, Johnny Hunt, what he believes to be the club's greatest regret, and he maintains that it is the sanctioning of Zingarevich's purchase in 2012.

Johnny told FLW: "The biggest regret, I think, was when Anton Zingarevich came in. It all looked good at the start, but that's when the problems really started for Reading.

"When John Madejski was at the club, everything was done diligently and properly and since then, it's just been one disaster after another, and that was probably the pivotal point.

"Yes, we got into the Premier League with those signings in the January with Jason Roberts, but he didn't have the money and then owner after owner came in.

"It's just been so bad. I think it's five owners in the last 12 years, something around that. Obviously, Dai Yongge is an absolute clown and he’s ruined the club now, but that was the starting point of our demise back then, in 2012, to where we are now.

"It's been a gradual decline season by season, year after year. We had a couple of good seasons, and we got to the play-off final, but off the pitch it's just been awful. I mean that really created this problem."

Zingarevich's purchase was perhaps the start of where Reading find themselves today, with current owner Dai Yongge a huge factor in the demise of the club.

The Royals have faced points deduction after points deduction in recent years, and the 2024/25 campaign is the first that they haven't started with one since 2020/21.

Nevertheless, with the news of a potential collapse of the takeover involving former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig, fears could mount that there could yet be even more trouble on the horizon at Reading.

However, supporters will always look back to that first deal in 2012 as the catalyst for their downfall from the Premier League to the depths of League One.