ROYALS FACE CHALLENGES IN CLUB’S ANNIVERSARY YEAR
IN the club’s 150th anniversary year, it’s certainly been one to remember, but not always for the right reasons.
The club were involved in negotiations with the EFL for several months after breaching profit and sustainability regulations over a number of years which eventually saw them deducted six points.
On top of that, like all other clubs around the country, they have had to deal with the ongoing pandemic which has seen fixtures postponed among other restrictions with almost the entirety of the 2020/21 season being played behind closed doors.
Having made a flying start under Veljko Paunovic in the Serbian’s first season in charge, the Royals looked likely to make a push for the play-offs.
2021 began with a 2-1 away win at Huddersfield and continued to be a profitable month, only dropping points in a goaless draw at Preston.
The Royals picked up arguably their most impressive win of the year against eventual runners-up Bournemouth in a 3-1 home victory.
February was less successful with two wins, a draw and four defeats, with three of the four losses coming at home.
Form picked up in March with a run of three games without defeat, including wins over Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday.
But the month ended in disappointment with draws at Nottingham Forest and QPR, and a 2-1 away loss to Birmingham City as Reading started to lose grip on their place in the top six.
A torrid run of form in the final two months of the campaign saw
Reading slip out of the play-off places, with injuries to key players including John Swift proving pivotal to their downfall.
They won just one of their final 11 Championship matches which left them in seventh at the end of the campaign, seven points outside of the play-off places.
Despite their faltering form at the end of the season, Michael Olise was awarded with the Championship’s Young Player of the Season award for his outstanding contribution.
But with a transfer embargo in place, it would prove to be a tricky summer for the club to negotiate.
Olise was rewarded with a move
to Premier League Crystal Palace, while another one of the season’s formidable performers, Omar Richards, left on a free transfer with a spectacular move to European giants Bayern
Munich.
It was a challenging couple of summer months for the club with transfer restrictions in place which saw them bolster their squad with the arrival of loan signings and free transfers.
Danny Drinkwater and Baba Rahman both arrived on loan for the season from Chelsea, while Tom Dele-Bashiru joined for the season from Watford.
The club took advantage of the free agents market by signing
Junior Hoilett and experienced defender Scott Dann.
Injuries, transfer embargos and points deductions have all played big factors in the 2021/22 season which started with a 3-2 defeat to Stoke City.
Reading followed that up with a win in their first home match in August with two goals from Femi Azeez helping them to three points over Preston.
The month ended terribly with losses to Bristol City and Coventry City before a humiliating 4-0 loss to Huddersfield Town.
Reading picked up form in September with an enthralling 3-3 draw at home to QPR and wins over Peterborough and Middlesbrough.
Meanwhile, they earned probably their most impressive result to date with a surprising 2-1 victory over promotion favourites Fulham after an Ovie Ejaria double.
Wins over Cardiff City and Barnsley saw Reading start October well only to lose three on the bounce to see them slide further down the table.
November saw the arrival of well-renowned forward Andy Carroll, who signed on a short-term deal with the club.
Carroll made his mark in a 3-2 away win at Swansea as he found the net alongside summer loan signings Danny Drinkwater and
Tom Dele-Bashiru.
The last month of the calendar year has been greatly impacted by a surge in covid cases which has seen three successive matches postponed, including what would have been the club’s 150thanniversary match against Luton Town just before Christmas.
The club is now planning to mark their special birthday in 2022 in February’s home match against Blackburn.