Reading FC Owner Speaks On ‘Love’ For His New Boardroom Role

The Wycombe Wanderers legend only hung up his boots last year after an 18-year career in the EFL, targeting and studying for a role in the boardroom to fulfil his interest in business.

His former boss at Wycombe, Rob Couhig, completed his long-awaited takeover in May, nearly nine months on from their initial expected completion date.

Jacobson, who was around Bearwood as far back as 12 months ago, admitted in an exclusive interview with The Reading Chronicle that he was holding out all year for the job in Berkshire and that the Royals’ result were ‘the first he looked for.’

“Reading was the first result I looked at the whole way through the season,” he said, sat in the main office at the club’s impressive Bearwood training facility. “I wanted them to win every match because at any time we could go in there and see where they were. It’s a lot easier looking from the outside at what the football was doing but you try and get as much off-pitch information as possible. On the pitch, it was the first result I looked for. I did one or two games for radio involving Reading and it was hard not to be too biased towards them.

“I wasn’t as confident as Rob, he knew more than I did about the deal, so I was holding out. I couldn’t have waited forever, and I was looking at other things but I told Rob if this ever came around, I’d jump at it straight away.

“I’m really thankful that he’s shown faith and trust in me to bring me in, as someone who’s not very experienced. Our relationship has been really good, and we work well together. In the last six weeks I’ve learnt so much, every day I’m going home and writing tips to take into the next day. It’s an exciting time and for me, I want to show people what we are doing. Sometimes it’s not a quick fix but we will get there.”

It’s only been a matter of weeks so the Welshman is still getting his feet under the table, but juggling a degree and the role of CEO at a League One football club has certainly been a baptism of fire.

“There is a lot of built-up excitement from stepping into the building nearly a year ago. There was a lot of things we wanted to put in place back then that stopped, and you spend the next six months or so thinking ‘what if.’

“It was always there in the background, Rob was always really confident, but since we’ve come in it’s been manic and intense. I’ve loved it. It’s been really exciting with so much to do. we’ve spoken about the potential of the club so many times and we want to make everyone proud of the club. With Rob in charge, and Todd, his enthusiasm is brilliant and it’s infectious.”