READING have been docked one point and received a suspended three-point deduction after breaching EFL regulations.
The Royals, who were relegated down to League One at the end of last season, failed to pay their players’ wages on time between October 2022 and April of this year.
GettyReading have been docked one point and had a three-point deduction suspended[/caption]
Owner Dai Yongge has been fined £10,000 and also has to “deposit an amount equal to 125 per cent of the club’s forecast monthly wage bill in a designated club account”.
If he does not comply within 28 days then further punishments could be dished out.
And if players’ salaries are not paid on time up to June 2024, the suspended three-point penalty will be activated.
It is the third season in a row that Reading have been docked points.
They were deducted six points in November 2021 and a further six in April.
An EFL statement read: “The EFL remains extremely frustrated at the consistent failures of the Club’s ownership to meet its ongoing obligations under EFL Regulations, the consequences of which are having a negative impact for all those associated with Reading, particularly its staff members, supporters, and local community.
“Whilst we acknowledge the independence of the commission and the sanction imposed, this outcome does fall some way short of the League’s existing sanctioning guidelines.
“The EFL will now undertake a full review of the decision issued, taking into consideration the recent previous sanctions imposed on the Club and their subsequent impact.”
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Meanwhile, a statement from Reading said: “After being charged by the EFL in June, the club responded in a timely fashion – accepting the charges in principle, whilst providing evidence of the mitigating circumstances surrounding the late payments to an independent Disciplinary Commission in response to the charges.
“Our dialogue with the EFL and the Independent Disciplinary Commission has been open throughout the process and, in accepting that the repeated late payment of wages is wholly unacceptable, we believe the punishment is just.
“The wage bill has been satisfied in full and on time for the last three months and, as recently communicated to supporters, our owner will continue to seek and secure reliable sources of stable external investment which will ensure cashflow complications do not arise and result in any further breaches of EFL Regulations.”
Reading have won one of their opening three games, meaning the one-point deduction leaves them in 18th place on two points.