Exclusive: Don Goodman drops Reading FC promotion prediction | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively to FLW, Sky Sports Pundit Don Goodman believes that Reading will have their work cut out to get automatic promotion next season.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has said that he believes that automatic promotion will be "difficult for Reading FC" next season.

The Royals finished last season in 7th place in League One, three points from a play-off place, and even finishing this high could be considered an achievement, considering the chaotic condition of the club in recent years.

But now, with former owner Dai Yongge gone and Rob Couhig finally having been confirmed as the new owner of the club, there is optimism that Reading now have a better future to which to look forward.

Goodman believes "it's going to be pretty tough for Reading"

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman said: "It's going to be pretty tough for Reading to gate-crash automatic promotion, I would think, given the strength of the teams that got relegated from the Championship."

Goodman believes the teams coming down and those who finished in the play-off positions last season could all challenge at the top: "Luton, Cardiff and Plymouth are three pretty strong teams, who I would expect to be pushing at the top end, along with the likes of Stockport, Bolton, Leyton Orient, so it's going to make it difficult for Reading."

But he also recognises that a lot will come down to Couhig and the investment that the new owners are prepared to put into the club: "In the event that the new owners have the funding to invest, then it all depends on who they bring in, what calibre of player they can add to the squad, and which of their best players they can hang onto. So there are a lot of factors to consider."

Reading arguably over-performed throughout 2024/25

Considering the state of Reading throughout the 2023/24 season, that the club got as close to a play-off place as they did is something of a surprise. They were docked a total of six points that season, over three separate matters, and ended it in 17th place in the table.

Figures from FCHD

Ruben Selles was the manager throughout the first half of last season, and they were in 6th place in the table - the final play-off spot - when he left the club at the start of December to assume the vacant position at Hull City.

Noel Hunt took over as manager, but couldn't keep them quite that high. They slipped a place before the end of the season and ended up missing out by three points to Leyton Orient.

Challenging near the top of League One will be a challenge for Reading next season, and much will come down to how much Rob Couhig is prepared to put into the club to allow Noel Hunt to rebuild.