‘We are worried’: how Reading hit crisis point on and off the pitch

A club statement when Reading supporters are desperately seeking greater transparency from the hierarchy would ordinarily be greeted with open arms. Only the seven paragraphs published on Saturday – when some fans were on the motorway back from Middlesbrough – posed more questions than answers. Hours after conceding a 95th-minute goal that condemned Reading to a fourth defeat in five matches, the club confirmed Liam Moore had been stripped of the captaincy and the owner, Dai Yongge, effectively offered the under-pressure manager, Veljko Paunovic, the dreaded vote of confidence.

It capped a miserable week for Reading, who suffered a record-breaking 7-0 home defeat by Fulham last Tuesday, three days after being dumped out of the FA Cup by sixth-tier Kidderminster. Save for Andy Carroll’s equaliser at Boro and his spectacular disallowed goals against Fulham – an overhead kick and a preposterous chest-and-volley from outside the box – the only reason Reading fans have felt compelled to get off their seats recently is to vent their anger. The bad news is Carroll’s contract expired on Saturday.

“Mr Dai is fully supportive of the manager and his decisions and understanding of the hard few months we have endured both on and off the pitch,” Reading said in a statement that started by saying Moore had made clear his desire to leave in recent months. In 2018 Moore signed a new five-year contract now worth about £35,000 per week, making him one of the club’s highest earners. “Incredibly shocked by the statement,” he said on Instagram, accompanied by 18 face-palm emojis.

There has also been infighting among supporters and the fear is the situation could sour further. One win from their past nine matches, coupled with a six-point