Reading to be hit with three-point deduction if fans force more game postponements

Supporters entered the pitch in the 16th minute of the match on Jan 13 in protest against the club’s owner Dai Yongge – Getty Images/Jason Dawson

Reading will be hit with a three-point deduction if their supporters force another match to be abandoned over the next two seasons.

Dai Yongge, the unpopular owner of the crisis-hit club, has also been charged with misconduct and, for the first time, bringing Reading and the English Football League into disrepute for repeated financial breaches.

Yongge is facing further sanctions after failing to deposit funds in a designated bank account for the past four months. The two charges will go before an independent disciplinary commission.

Reading are facing relegation to League Two under Yongge, who is in talks with a number of parties over a potential sale of the club.

This month, fans staged a mass protest on the pitch that forced officials to abandon their home match against Port Vale on Jan 13.

Following talks with the EFL board, an agreed decision has been reached with the club that the game will be replayed in full on Feb 24.

As a result of the postponement, Reading will now be subjected to a suspended three-point deduction that will be enforced if another match is abandoned this season and the following campaign.

In a statement, the EFL said: “This approach aims to balance the requirements of the EFL as the competition organiser to uphold its regulations on behalf of all member clubs whilst providing clarity to all associated parties on the impact of any future non-fulfilment of a fixture, coming as direct result of supporter protests.”

Reading have been docked a total of 16 points during Yongge’s stormy tenure, with relegation from the Championship last year.

Last year the EFL attempted to have Yongge, the Chinese businessman, disqualified but the commission voted against it.

Reading are in the League One relegation zone and face Derby County at home on Tuesday night.

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