Reading have suffered a year of turmoil off the pitch after Anton Zingarevich pulled the plug on his takeover.

The decision robbed boss Nigel Adkins of substantial transfer funds the Russian had promised way back last summer.

But despite the setback and numerous hurdles that have stood in Royals’ way, McAnuff and his team-mates still have a shot at glory if they win promotion through the play-offs - something the club has never managed.

Royals are sixth in the Championship table following last weekend’s 1-1 home draw with Huddersfield Town with seven fixtures to go.

He told the Chronicle: “We’ve kind of known about the financial situation throughout the season, but we’re confident in the group we’ve got regardless of investment - or lack of it.

“We believe this is one of the strongest squads we’ve had since I’ve been at the club, so achieving something would be really special.

“If you look at the depth we have, the players who can’t get in the squad at the moment and those we’ve got to come back from injury, we feel we’re in a good place.

“The gaffer has some tough decisions to make over these last seven games and everyone who goes out on that pitch has to do their very best to stay in the team.” Reading hold a two-point lead over both Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town and boast a better goal difference than both going into the final seven games.

And McAnuff stressed: “It’s that time of the season they call squeaky bum time. We said we wanted to be in the mix and we are.

“Our destiny is in our hands, we’re very confident and there is belief amongst the group of players. We’ve just got to keep plugging away.” McAnuff, who is yet to discover whether his contract will be renewed when it runs out this summer, already has one eye on the play-offs having lost at Wembley in the final to Brendan Rodgers’ Swansea City in 2011.

And he also brushed off concerns over Reading’s contrasting form at home and away.

Adkins’ men have not won at home in six matches but are also on a five-match unbeaten streak on the road including victories at Birmingham, Leeds, QPR and Millwall.

“We just want to win games whether they are home or away,” insists 32-year-old midfielder McAnuff. “It’s an important time of the season, we’re all on the same page and we’re all striving for the same thing.

“We’re all very positive going into the final seven games then hopefully more play-off games to come. We will keep plugging away and find a way to get ourselves over the line.” Up next for the Royals are back-to-back trips to Charlton Athletic this Saturday (3pm ko) and AFC Bournemouth next Tuesday (7.45pm ko), and McAnuff stressed: “I wouldn’t say playing away suits us better than playing at home.

“I suppose it’s natural that teams come at you a bit more when you are away from home because we are very dangerous on the counter attack with the players we’ve got.

“We back ourselves to win games wherever we are and the main thing is we get enough points to make the play-offs, however and wherever they come.”