For the third time this year, the former Premier League club has been penalised points. Reading have been penalized three points for failing to put enough money into an account to cover the club’s monthly pay bill.
According to the BBC, the EFL urged Royals owner Dai Yongge in August to deposit 125% of the pay bill into a designated account by Tuesday. That did not happen, and it resulted in an instant suspension of points reduction.
This is not the first time Reading has been punished points this season; they have lost a total of four points so far. The Royals were docked a point in August for late payroll payments.
This comes on the heels of a six-point deduction in April for profit and sustainability rule violations, which contributed to their relegation from the Championship to League One.
The EFL has declared that they would continue to punish Reading as long as they break the regulations, since Chinese businessman Dai remains “committed” to the Royals and is actively seeking new investors to help the club’s financial stability.
This is a major concern for Reading, who were in the Premier League only ten years ago, and any further points deductions could jeopardize their season.
