READING FC manager Paul Ince confirmed that the club are expecting a six point deduction from the EFL in the next couple of days.
The points penalty has been hanging over the club for the last month after rumours circulated that the Royals were set to be punished by the EFL for the second consecutive campaign.
Reading were deducted six points last season for breaching the league’s profit and sustainability rules with a further suspended six point deduction for this campaign, which looks set to come into effect imminently.
“We know the points will come off at some point in time,” said Ince.
“We’ve achieved 45 points which is probably two points from safety so in our heads we’ve done our heads. But all of a sudden you get done six points and then you haven’t done your job and we’ve got to try and stay in this league.
“It’s devastating when you get deducted points, especially so late in the season.
“If we had got them at the start of the season at least you’ve got time to get over it.
“It’s the timing for me. We’ve had the international break and we could have had another week to get over it.
“I had believed it was coming in the international break. There’s no perfect time to get it, but at least we could have had a full week to get on with it and stop whingeing about it.
“It’s been difficult because it’s not come and I’ve been saying to Bo (Mark Bowen), ‘Is it coming, when’s it’s coming.’
“We just want to know where we are and go from there.
“But by the sounds of it, it sounds as if it’s coming in the next 24, 48 hours so it’s imminent.
“It’s not great with eight games to go but it’s coming, that’s for sure, we’re not going to get away from it so we’ve got to pick the boys up. That’s not easy with eight or nine players out.”
Reading are currently in 18th place in the table, nine points above the drop zone but a six point deduction would see them drop to 21st and just three clear of the relegation places.
Ince’s men have eight games remaining to try and secure their Championship status, starting with a trip to Ashton Gate this Saturday to face 14th place Bristol City.
