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Soccer game in English third tier abandoned after Reading fans storm field to protest against owner
READING, England (AP) — A third-division match between Reading and Port Vale was abandoned just 16 minutes into the first half Saturday after around 1,000 home fans invaded the pitch to protest against the club's ownership, with many of them refusing to leave.
Reading made several appeals over the stadium loudspeakers and social media for fans to leave the field and allow the League One game to resume, but it was eventually abandoned with the score at 0-0.
Reading fans have long been unhappy with the club's owner, Chinese businessman Dai Yongge, accusing him of financial mismanagement. Reading has been deducted a total of four points this season for failing to pay players on time.
Saturday's game was initially held up for three minutes when fans threw tennis balls onto the playing surface at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, before supporters ran onto the field in large numbers.
Referee Ross Joyce took the players into the locker rooms, while the supporters milled around the pitch, some letting off blue flares.
Fans eventually started to leave the field but many of them then returned and staged a sit-in in the center circle.
Before the game was abandoned, Reading posted a statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “We are fully aware of and understand our supporters’ frustrations, but we must reiterate to our supporters that entering or throwing items on to the pitch can put the fixture at risk of abandonment and can result in personal consequences including banning orders.
“Thank you for your support today.”
It was unclear whether the game would be replayed or whether Port Vale would be credited with a win.
The English Football League, which runs the professional divisions below the Premier League, posted a statement on social media saying “every effort was made to restart the game but it became increasingly obvious that this would not be possible.”
It added that “we will now discuss the implications of this afternoon’s events with the clubs involved.”
A second League One game, between Bolton and Cheltenham, was also called off Saturday because of a medical emergency in the crowd. ___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer
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