LONDON IRISH want to move back to their roots and play home games in the south-west of the city again.
A takeover of the club will be announced tomorrow morning. A group of Irish business men are behind the bid which is being led by Mick Crossan, chairman of Powerday – the Exiles’ main sponsor.
Sources close to the club have told this paper that the new owners want to maintain their Reading fanbase and are particularly keen to reconnect with London’s huge Irish community. Moving their home games back to the south-west of the capital is seen as the logical way to achieve this.
A transfer policy where more Irish players are targeted is also likely.
The Exiles have been playing at Reading’s Madejski Stadium since 2000. Their average attendance last season was just over 9,000. Some crowds this term have been considerably lower than that figure.
Irish operate with a small budgets compared to most Premiership teams. It is thought that the new owners would give the club more financial muscle, allowing them to attract new talent and keep star players such as winger Marland Yarde. In recent seasons Jonathan Joseph, Matt Garvey and Alex Corbisiero have left the club.
A press conference to announce the takeover will take place tomorrow at 10.30am.
