Current Charlton Athletic co-owner, who rose to prominence as a director at Sunderland during the stewardship of Stewart Donald, has described the off-field situation as "a genuine tragedy."

Methven was a prominent figure with the Black Cats during the filming of Netflix hit 'Sunderland 'Til I Die' and has since taken over at the Valley.

An Oxford United fan who grew up not far from Berkshire, the former journalist and PR consultant is now a co-host on a football podcast called 'Where's the Money Gone?'

Reading, suffering at the hands of negligent owner Dai Yogge, are on the edge of a precipice as they continue to default on payments and struggle to find new buyers.

Speaking to Caroline Parker of Sell Before We Dai, Methven said: "It is actually a genuine tragedy for which the fans hold, in my view, absolutely no blame whatsoever. As Caroline says, the Reading fanbase are not a demanding, difficult or obstreperous fanbase. They enjoyed their very good times under Sir John and appreciated the way in which the club were developed.

"My observation, and having had many conversations with Reading fans, [they] were perfectly content to understand that the Championship or top end of League One is probably more likely their historical place in the food chain. It has nothing to do with being overdemanding or anything like that, this has been an absolutely disastrously mismanaged club."

A friend of Sir John Madejski's, Reading travel to Methven's Addicks when the side's return from this month's international break.