Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit issues “achievement on the decade” claim on Reading FC play-off hopes | OneFootball

The former EFL striker and pundit was full of praise for Reading’s against-the-odds season

Despite flurries of hope, Reading’s 2024/25 season has been another chapter of nightmare of ownership troubles under Dai Yongge.

At the time of writing, Reading owner Yongge has been disqualified under the Owners and Directors Test, and has been given a deadline of April 5 to sell the club.

This followed news that the Royals were not only being taken to court by former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig, who had attempted to buy the club last summer, but had also entered a period of exclusivity with a prospective buyer, Robert Platek.

In spite of the cascade of off-field troubles and popular boss Ruben Selles being poached by Hull City, Reading have remained in touching distance of the top six of League One, and they jumped into those spots on Saturday afternoon with a thumping 3-1 win over Peterborough.

Don Goodman hails Reading FC's on-field achievements amid League One play-offs battle

Football League World spoke exclusively with pundit and former EFL striker Don Goodman on Reading’s remarkable defiance, and the scale of their achievement should the Royals be promoted to the Championship.

“Achievement of the season if Reading win promotion from League One? It would be the achievement of the decade.” Goodman told FLW.

“Maybe even the century, if you look at everything that’s gone on at that football club from the absolute chaos and turmoil regarding the owner and off the field.

“They then lose their manager to Hull City, who had been doing amazingly, they sell their best player Sam Smith to Wrexham in the winter, they lost Azeez to Millwall earlier on, and they’ve promoted so many kids from their academy.

“So, it would be by far and away the achievement of the season if Reading can pull off a promotion campaign.”

Despite the ongoing ownership crisis, Reading remain firmly in the promotion conversation, sitting in sixth position in the League One table, albeit both Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers behind them have a game in-hand each.

Their ability to maintain a promotion push in these circumstances is a testament to the resilience of the squad and the leadership of interim manager Noel Hunt.

Hunt, who returned to the club last year in a coaching capacity, has provided stability in an environment where uncertainty has been the only constant.

Despite losing key players, he has overseen the emergence of academy graduates such as Tyler Bindon and Andre Garcia, who have stepped into senior roles with remarkable composure.

Their performances have been instrumental in keeping Reading competitive, offering both short-term solutions and long-term hope for the club’s future.

Yet, with the deadline looming, off-field matters remain an unavoidable distraction. Dai Yongge’s mandated sale must be completed by April 5 to avoid sanctions, and while the club remains in dialogue with the EFL, a resolution is still pending.