As Wrexham fans celebrate a third consecutive promotion and dream of Championship glory, the past is knocking loudly on the door of one of the club’s most senior figures.
Shaun Harvey, a man once regarded as one of the most influential administrators in English football, could now be facing serious questions from Parliament—and perhaps worse—as the fallout from the Reading FC ownership scandal gathers pace.
Harvey, who now sits alongside Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in the Wrexham boardroom, was CEO of the English Football League in 2017 when Chinese businessman Dai Yongge purchased Reading. At the time, Harvey and the EFL rubber-stamped the deal, claiming there were “no disqualifying conditions.” But this week, it emerged—thanks to a report by The Times—that the Premier League had explicitly warned the EFL not to approve Yongge’s ownership. The top flight’s concerns were clear: Yongge had acted in bad faith during a failed attempt to buy Hull City, and if Reading were promoted, he would be automatically disqualified.
Think about that for a second. On the same day that Reading played a Championship play-off final at Wembley, the EFL knowingly approved an owner who would be barred from continuing should the team win. That isn’t just incompetence—it’s regulatory malpractice.
A Crisis of Trust in Football Governance
Now, with Reading battered by points deductions and financial ruin, supporters want accountability. Greg Double, from the Supporters’ Trust at Reading (STAR), didn’t mince words: “I’m fed up of the romantic tale of Wrexham’s ownership when they have someone who is complicit with Reading’s downfall. He enabled one of the worst ownerships ever.”
This goes beyond club rivalry or bitterness. The issue here is one of governance, transparency and basic competence. It’s not just Reading who should be concerned—every EFL club should be.
Harvey, now basking in the Hollywood spotlight, has yet to publicly address the scandal since it re-emerged. But the pressure is growing. Labour MP Yuan Yang, who has been spearheading efforts to introduce an Independent Football Regulator, has already said she would support an inquiry into the EFL’s decision-making under Harvey. “I’m sure they will be able to consider actions,” she told MailOnline. “We need a much stronger independent football regulator that comes in above both the EFL and Premier League.”
You might say it’s all in the past—that Reading’s current plight has little to do with Wrexham. But that argument misses the point. Football governance relies on trust. When the very people responsible for vetting owners and safeguarding clubs bend the rules or ignore warnings, it undermines the whole system. The fact that one of those people is now sitting at the heart of Britain’s most talked-about football project makes it even more urgent to ask the right questions.
Fans Want Truth, Not Spin
And make no mistake—Reading isn’t the only casualty. Bury, Macclesfield, Derby, and others have all suffered due to poor oversight and dubious ownership. The common thread? A regulatory framework that has failed time and again to protect clubs from reckless or unsuitable owners.
Caz Parker, from the anti-Dai Yongge group Sell Before We Dai, put it bluntly: “Shaun Harvey has serious questions to answer, and all Reading fans would like to hear him speak. He is living the good life, and we are wondering if we are going to exist next week.”
It’s hard to argue with her. Under Yongge’s ownership, Reading has been hit with 18 points in deductions, transfer embargoes, unpaid wages, and an exodus of talent. And yet, the man who facilitated that ownership continues to climb the football ladder unchallenged.
Even former Reading striker Sam Smith, now at Wrexham, must feel some discomfort knowing the architect of his old club’s decline now signs off on decisions at his new one.
This scandal also adds momentum to the argument for sweeping reform. The Independent Football Regulator Bill, currently on its way through Parliament, can’t arrive soon enough. Clubs are too important—culturally, socially, emotionally—to be left in the hands of weak governance structures and unaccountable executives.
What Wrexham’s Success Can’t Cover Up
In many ways, Wrexham’s story is everything modern football needs: community rebirth, international investment done right, and a club reconnected with its fans. But Shaun Harvey’s presence muddles that picture. His role in the Reading disaster doesn’t go away just because the Netflix cameras cut to Ryan Reynolds cracking jokes. If anything, the spotlight on Wrexham makes this story even more relevant. If Harvey helped author one of the EFL’s greatest regulatory failures, should he really be allowed to help steer the next chapter of British football’s fairytale?
Parliament may soon have something to say about that. And if the EFL wants to restore even a shred of credibility, it must stop stonewalling, stop hiding behind vague legalese, and start telling the truth. Because whether you support Reading, Wrexham, or any of the 72 clubs outside the Premier League, this scandal affects you.
And Shaun Harvey? He may find that the past isn’t done with him yet.
