Exclusive: EFL To Deduct Reading Points Following Northampton Town Win
Could the Royals' three points on Good Friday be wiped off?
Reading have been going through a particularly testing relegation battle this season and, unfortunately, it’s about to get even more difficult. According to some extremely reliable sources who for some reason decided to speak exclusively to us at The Tilehurst End, the Royals are set to be hit with yet another points deduction.
Approached for comment, an EFL spokesperson said:
“Naturally, we were dismayed to see the disgraceful scenes at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on 29 March 2023. The EFL utterly condemns that behaviour in no uncertain terms and, as a result, was left with no other option but to impose a sporting sanction on Reading Football Club.”
Asked to clarify what behaviour they were referring to, the EFL’s spokesperson confirmed they meant “the bit when the referee blew the full-time whistle and Reading won”.
“Reading Football Club winning games and staying away from the relegation places is intolerable. It... um, err... something about sporting integrity.”
“The EFL will not hesitate to act accordingly. That is, unless other clubs in the division don’t like that course of action, in which case the EFL will do the opposite.”
The Tilehurst End put it to the EFL spokesperson that Reading Football Club have already been deducted 18 points since November 2021, during which time the club has suffered relegation and a litany of off-field problems. In response, the EFL said:
“The EFL continues to acknowledge the negative impact sporting sanctions are having on the Football Club. It remains extremely disappointed and frustrated at the Club’s reluctance to let its situation get even worse by being relegated a second time.”
At this stage it’s believed that the total up-front penalty is only three points. However, a suspended deduction of three points will be applied if Reading win at Bolton Wanderers on Easter Monday.
This publication pressed the EFL for assurance that Reading will not be hit with anymore points deductions following this one. The spokesperson replied by saying “no, definitely not, deeeeeefinitely not”, before doing a suspiciously over-exaggerated wink and literally saying the phrase “wink wink” out loud.