After a dreadful start to the new Championship campaign, Reading chief executive, Ron Gourlay has expressed the need for stability.

Speaking to the Reading Chronicle, the Royals CEO feels too many takeovers in a short period has had an adverse effect on the club.

Reading have had three owners in six years since John Madejski sold up in 2013, with Chinese pair Dia Yongge and Dia Xiu Li, the current custodians of the football club.

Currently rock bottom of the Championship, the Royals are still awaiting their first win of the season having only managed two draws from their opening six matches.

Paul Clement replaced Jaap Stam in March and has only overseen two wins in their last 22 matches, both coming last season as the club narrowly avoided relegation to League One.

Speaking to the Bracknell News, Gourlay said: “Don’t underestimate the fact the club had sustained ownership through Sir John for a long, long period.

“Then there were three changes and in between that Sir John came back hands-on after the first party (Zingarevich) left.”

The Verdict

Gourlay has been in power at the Championship side since July 2017, just after the club finished third in the division and made it to a play-off final.

Since then, however, it has been doom and gloom at the club.

Jaap Stam was sacked and replaced with Paul Clement, Gourlay’s first appointment as chief executive- and what a poor run it has been.

Since the former Derby boss was appointed two games, have been won, and the club sit bottom of the Championship this season.

He has a point that boardroom shuffling has affected the club, but he is using that to cover up for his mismanagement and poor decisions.

The owners might not be there day to day since John Madejski left, but the chief executive is, and he has proven to be so far inept in dealing with the day to day running of things.

That translates to the football pitch and so far it has been a wretched start to the season which looks set to carry on.