READING FC interim manager Noel Hunt urged ‘everyone to be committed’ to the club after they suffered relegation to League One.
The Royals will be playing in the third tier of English football for the first time in more than two decades after finishing in 22nd place in the Championship.
After being beaten by Neil Warnock’s Huddersfield Town on the final day having already been relegated, Hunt said: “Everyone has to pulling in the same direction.
“Everyone has to be committed, everyone’s got to be invested both emotionally, physically and mentally into this football club and you can’t give any less than 100%.
“If you’re not, you’re cheating yourself and cheating the football club and your teammates.
“When somebody isn’t pulling their weight in training or in the gym or on the field of play, you pull them up and you make sure you get a grip of them and don’t accept it.
“As a team, if you stay together and play as a team. These things are less likely to happen.
“When you come back, it’s about being mentally ready to go.
Hunt was quick to praise forward Yakou Meite who tried to return early despite having problems with a hamstring injury which meant the interim boss ruled him out of contention for the Huddersfield game.
He continued: “The people like Yakou (Meite), who tries to come back four or five weeks into a 12 or 14 week injury.
“He wants to come back and be involved and he wanted to play today (Monday), but I made the decision that for him, it could have risked him tearing his hamstring and being out for three to six months.
“I took that decision out of his hands, the same for AC. Yak is a different story, but AC is here next season and we want him fit and firing for pre-season.”
Hunt also gave an update on Ovie Ejaria who has not featured for the Royals since November.
He said: “Ovie had an operation two weeks ago and I’m not too sure when he’s back. As far as I’m aware he’s contracted here next season and right now he is a Reading football player.
Ovie has been great for me. He came into the 21s trying to get back fit and unfortunately picked up an awkward injury in training and needed surgery.”
