Reading’s League One match with Port Vale was halted after 16 minutes and eventually abandoned after around 1,000 home fans invaded the pitch.
They were protesting against the club ownership of Dai Yongge and the game had already been held up earlier for three minutes when tennis balls were thrown onto the playing surface at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Referee Ross Joyce took the players into the dressing rooms, while the supporters milled around the pitch, some letting off blue flares.
After approaching the Vale fans, some of whom applauded them, most of the home fans started to leave the pitch.
But many of them then returned and staged a sit-in in the centre circle and Joyce later called off the game, which was goalless at the time.
Before the abandonment, a statement posted on Reading’s X, formerly Twitter, account, read: “We are fully aware of and understand our supporters’ frustrations, but we must reiterate to our supporters that entering or throwing items onto the pitch can put the fixture at risk of abandonment and can result in personal consequences including banning orders.”
As Reading fans continued to stay on the pitch, stewards guarded both goalmouths. The Port Vale fans began to grow tired of the protests, chanting they had “made their point” and should return to the stands.
The EFL later confirmed that while every effort was made to restart the game it became “increasingly obvious that this would not be possible” and said it will now discuss the implications of Saturday’s events with both clubs.
The protest was aimed at Reading owner Dai who fans blame for Reading’s problems, including wages not being paid and a winding up order being served in October over unpaid taxes.
Dai took charge in 2017 but has come under fire after the club was hit with a number of penalties for financial mismanagement, including a four-point deduction this season for a late payment of the monthly wage bill.
Former Premier League team Reading, who were relegated after 10 years in the Championship in 2023, have been deducted 16 points in under two years. They were fourth from bottom in League One and three points from safety before Saturday’s fixtures.
It was the second League One match to be abandoned on Saturday after Bolton Wanderers’ home game against Cheltenham Town was called off after a medical emergency in the stadium.
