I’m Sick Of All This

Another day, another points deduction for Reading Football Club.

I’ll let you in on some of my thinking when it comes to doing an opinion piece. My rule is that I try to only write something if I feel I’ve actually got something new to say, something fresh to bring to the conversation.

In this case though I’ve got nothing new to say at all. The remarkable thing about Reading’s two-point deduction on Tuesday afternoon was just how unremarkable it was. It’s the fifth deduction Reading have been hit with since November 2021, bringing our tally up to a whopping 18 points.

It’s not even the first, or indeed the second, this season. Having lost six points in 2021/22 and another six in 2022/23 - which effectively relegated us to League One - we went on to lose one in August 2023 and then three the following month. At this point it would be more newsworthy if Reading were to go a full season without getting a points deduction. Just let that sink in.

And I’m sick of it all. I’m sick of how normalised all of this has become, of how much practice we’ve had in reacting to Reading being deducted points, of how unavoidable off-field misery seems to be at this club.

I’m sick of having to feel sorry for the hardworking, dedicated members of staff across the club who deserve so much more than to be working for an absolute basket case of an organisation. The committed, loyal people behind the scenes who keep the show going, and who put this owner to shame.

I’m sick of mentally caveating every goal and every win, knowing that those moments of joy can be rendered obsolete by an ‘independent disciplinary commission’. At least when Shrewsbury Town take points off us they do it to our face.

I’m sick of Reading being undermined by the duplicitous EFL, who profess to care about this club while proving otherwise with their actions. Publicly they assure supporters that they “[continue] to acknowledge the negative impact sporting sanctions are having on the Football Club”. In private though, they repeatedly lobby for harsher points deductions.

In August 2023, Reading were deducted one point with another three suspended (and activated the following month). The EFL had sought a penalty of four points deducted with another four suspended. This time round, Reading have been deducted two points with another two suspended. The EFL had sought a penalty of four points up front.

This is not an organisation which cares for the wellbeing of Reading Football Club, nor can it even convincingly pretend to do so.

I’m sick of the interminable wait for new owners, for the day this cavalcade of bulls**t finally comes to an end. Sell Before We Dai was formed all the way back in June 2023 - eight months ago - and yet it still needs to exist. As I wrote in September, I can’t wait for the day it doesn’t have to.

What I’m not sick of though is how irrepressibly stubborn this club is. Even in its darkest moments, we keep going. The horrors persist, but so does Reading Football Club.

On the pitch, the Royals are one of the form teams in the division over the last few months, despite everything that’s been thrown our way. This squad has faced multiple points deductions, the lack of a proper pre-season, the departures of key staff, the sales of numerous players, the loss of hotel stays for some away games and the removal of catering services at the training ground... and yet it’s only grown stronger. I’m so proud of them.

Loyal Royals defiantly back their team to the hilt, following Reading up and down the country. Without fail. Almost 1,300 of them are due to head up to Carlisle United on Saturday - even at the best of times that would be one hell of a shift, the furthest trek possible. I’m so proud of them.

We’ll get through this. One day, supporting Reading Football Club will taste an awful lot better.