Reading FC owner Rob Couhig has expressed a desire to help the women’s first-team, but has admitted that he has a list of priorities.
Speaking on the Tilehurst End podcast, the American explained that he is meeting with people to discuss what can be done to help the women’s team.
Reading Women spent several years in the Women’s Super League and frequently competed among the top clubs in the country before being relegated in the 2022/23 season.
After spending one year in the Women’s Championship, former owner Dai Yongge made the decision to stop funding the women’s team altogether which meant that they could not fulfil their place in the Championship and dropped down the divisions.
The team is now looked after by the Reading FC Community Trust and plays in the Southern Region Women’s Premier Division.
Couhig said: “We want to do more to help them. We will over time, I don’t know whether we will come in and buy the team and be the only supporter, I kind of like where it is with the Trust and what they’re doing.
“I want to do more but I also have a list of priorities. We have to get the first-team (men’s) organised and on its way. It’s got to be a successful team and you can’t do it all at once. We’re meeting with some folks next week to see what we can do to help them out and we will do what we can.”
Couhig explained that he had spoken extensively with a potential investor in the women’s team when he first tried to purchase the club last year, but that prospect had gone after original negotiations broke down and left the club in a very uncertain situation.
“One of the benefits of taking over the club is getting knocks on the door. We thought we had somebody who would be a part owner who would have jurisdiction and control and real money to put into women’s soccer. When it didn’t happen she got disenchanted and has gone different places but we think there could be somebody like that.”
