hold ers ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁at ▁which ▁a ▁vote ▁was ▁taken ▁to ▁decide ▁between ▁Max well ' s ▁take over ▁bid ▁and ▁a ▁rival ▁offer ▁from ▁S mee , ▁supported ▁by ▁T ran ter . ▁The ▁latter ▁proposition ▁narrow ly ▁won , ▁and ▁S mee ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁Reading , ▁putting ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁the ▁planned ▁mer ger . ▁ ▁After math ▁ ▁Max well ▁rel uct antly ▁dropped ▁his ▁am alg am ation ▁plans , ▁but ▁retained ▁his ▁ 1 9 % ▁st ake ▁in ▁Reading . ▁Under ▁S mee ' s ▁chair mans hip , ▁the ▁team ▁won ▁promotion ▁back ▁from ▁the ▁Four th ▁Division ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 3 – 8 4 ▁season , ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁Third ▁Division ▁title ▁two ▁years ▁later , ▁taking ▁it ▁into ▁the ▁Second ▁Division . ▁S mee ▁remained ▁at ▁the ▁hel m ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁when ▁amid ▁a ▁financial ▁crisis ▁at ▁the ▁club ▁he ▁sold ▁it ▁to ▁John ▁Made j ski . ▁Meanwhile , ▁Max well ▁made ▁Oxford ▁United ▁prof itable , ▁and ▁o vers aw ▁two ▁success ive ▁prom ot ions ▁for ▁the ▁club ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 3 – 8 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 4 – 8 5 ▁seasons . ▁The ▁team ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁Division , ▁then ▁the ▁top ▁level ▁of ▁English ▁football , ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁during ▁ 1 9 8 5 – 8 6 , ▁and ▁won