Madejski welcomes ‘exciting times’

Reading chairman Sir John Madejski has said it is ‘exciting times’ for Reading Football Club under their new owners.

Thames Sports Investments completed their takeover of the Premier League-bound side yesterday, with Anton Zingarevich taking 51% of the club for a figure around £25 million. Despite a two-month delay in the deal, Madejski said he was always confident it was going to be finalised.

The 71-year old told the official RFC website: ‘I am delighted with the new owner, I liked him the first moment I saw him and I think he’s going to be a very good custodian of Reading Football Club. He has links with the area, he is the right model of person we want for Reading Football Club.’

‘I believe that our supporters will feel like I do, eternally grateful for somebody coming into the club with the ambition to take it forward. They are ambitious both on and off the pitch to make Reading a meaningful Premier League club. It couldn’t be better, we are very fortunate to have the owners we do now.’

‘Thanks to Anton Zingarevich we are in the Premier League, and we are moving forward, we have a great manager, excellent staff and a fantastic squad, let’s all be excited about it. Don’t look for reds under the bed because they don’t exist. Here we are in the Premier League on the brink of something really exciting.’