Reading misery continues as they’re deducted another three points to make it 16 under current owners

Reading have been deducted another three points after failing to comply with an order designed to protect payments to staff.

The Royals have been free-falling through the EFL in recent times, largely down to off-the-field matters.

The latest infringement has seen them crash down to 21st in League One after being handed the three-point penalty by the EFL.

A club statement confirmed that the penalty had been activated after funds failed to appear in a designated account by September 12 on Tuesday.

Reading were supposed to deposit an amount equating to 125 per cent of the club’s monthly wage bill having been ordered by the Independent Disciplinary Commission on 15 August.

Reading received a one-point penalty last month for failing to pay players on time.

And they were also told that if such an infringement is met again by 30 June 2024, a further three points would be deducted.

It took club owner Dai Yongge less than a month to fail to adhere to these rules while the Royals have been deducted 16 points in total since the Chinese businessman took over in 2017.

And four of those have come this season alone – while Reading have only played six times this campaign in League One.

They have won two but sit in the relegation zone already with two points to their name.

3

3

Last season, Reading were relegated from the Championship to League One – entering the division for the first time in 21 years.

They also narrowly survived a winding-up order over unpaid taxes and have had points deducted for breaching financial regulations.

A Reading statement read: “Reading Football Club can confirm that a suspended three-point penalty has been activated as a result of owner Mr Dai failing to deposit an amount equating to 125 per cent of the club’s monthly wage bill into a designated account by the deadline of Tuesday 12 September 2023, as ordered by the Independent Disciplinary Commission in its decision of 15 August 2023.

“As communicated to our supporters previously, Mr Dai is currently undertaking an ongoing process of seeking sources of stable external investment for the football club, with the aim of mitigating the risk of cashflow complications arising in future.”

The new talkSPORT match centre

Keep up-to-date with all the latest football fixtures, results and standings in our new match centre.