Legendary former Reading owner Sir John Madejski described the current off-field mess at the club as 'frightful and disgraceful.'

Owner Dai Yongge chose only to pay the playing staff on time last week in a bid to avoid more points deductions, while the non-playing staff received only a portion of their wages on time and had to wait four days for the rest of their pay.

They have now all been paid in full, but concerns remain over how the club will pay HMRC and wages for December as payday comes ever closer.

Speaking to BBC Radio Berkshire with Andrew Peach, the iconic owner who twice took the Royals into the Premier League said: "It’s heart-breaking to think we are going through this nonsense month-in and month-in where everyone is on tenterhooks wondering what is going to happen next. It is frightful and disgraceful, and it shouldn’t be allowed. I just hope to God that we find a buyer soon that can allay all these fears that are on a daily basis."

The hierarchy have been in long negotiations with potential buyers and a deal was thought to be close with Genevra Associates in recent weeks, however new additions to the contracts have slowed progress down.

Speaking about potential new buyers, Madejski added: "The heavy lifting has been done. We have a first-class stadium. Through Mr Dai, and it’s about the best thing he’s done, we have a state-of-the-art training ground- probably one of the best in the country. We can get back to the promised land, it just needs more input from a sensible person that can take over the club and put their money where their mouth is. It can be rebuilt quite quickly, in my humble opinion.

"You have to have deep pockets, but I think the heavy lifting has been done. You’ve got the infrastructure there. A lot of the big players have gone, the more expensive ones, so it is quite an opportunity for someone whose heart is in the right place- not just somebody who thinks they can make a lot of money by doing some spurious deals on the training ground or stadium."

Madejski owned the club for 26 years and is still a keen supporter of the ongoings at the football club.