CHRIS Gunter is urging the Reading FC hierarchy to do everything in their power to keep Jaap Stam at the club.

Boss Stam has become hot property after guiding Royals to the Championship play-off final where they lost to Huddersfield Town in a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out at Wembley yesterday.

Speculation over the Dutchman's future at Madejski Stadium has now intensified and Stam revealed last week he is yet to open contract talks as he enters the final 12 months of his current deal.

With Reading also under new Chinese ownership following a successful takeover two weeks ago, Stam's position at the helm appears far from certain at this point.

However, Gunter belies Royals must pull out all the stops to ensure the former Manchester United defender is still in charge next season and beyond.

He told the Reading Chronicle: “Time does heal and when we come back for pre-season, which won't be long, we'll look back and think we have solid foundations going forward.

“I think it's important given the change of ownership that we build on what we've done.

“A lot of good things happened over the season and the club now need to make sure the right decisions are made and we find that consistency.”

He stressed: “The first thing to do is make sure this manager is in charge for the first game of next season. That is by far the most important thing this club can do, regardless of anything else.

“If we do that, I think we've seen from this season that he's a guy who knows what he's doing. He knows how to win football matches and can take the club forward.

“If we do that we will come back stronger next season and, if the manager can stay, then we will be better for this experience for sure.

“It's just a case of getting through the next couple of weeks however difficult it is.”

Reading Chronicle:

Reading manager Jaap Stam organises his troops at Wembley, with Huddersfield boss David Wagner in the background.

Gunter's emotional plea to Reading's top brass is certain to ring true with the club's supporters.

Many pundits had tipped Royals for a relegation fight this season, only for Stam to lead them to third place in the table in his first full season as a manager.

But after beating Fulham over two legs of the play-off semi-finals, they lost 4-3 on penalties to the Terriers, with promotion to the top-flight worth an estimated £170m to David Wagner's team.

“It's hard to put into words, there's nothing you can really say,” added Gunter, 27. “Everything we have done over the season is all in vain.

“We will all recover from it in time but we just need to deal with it. The boys need to get themselves away but at the moment we're all devastated for everyone connected with the club right the way through.

“You feel sorry for yourself but you feel worse for other people. That's how I feel at the moment.

“Congratulations to Huddersfield and it's important to say that because they've had a good season as well.

“Sport is a cruel game at times. There has to be a winner and loser and unfortunately it was us on the day.

“You just hope that over time we will be the ones who reap the rewards of all the hard work we have put in.”

And Wales international Gunter, who played every league and play-off game over the season, is confident Reading can go one better next time with Stam still in charge.

“I don't think we want to go through penalties again,” he declared. “Like I say, you feel bad for everyone and especially the guys who have been coming in every day for the past 11 months.

“No-one really knows what to say to each other and when you see family and friends they don't know what to say to you. Everyone is just really down.

“But we need to believe that we will have our time at some point. We didn't finish third in the table by fluke so we need to do the right things in the summer and come back stronger.

“It really is the worst way to lose. If you are beaten 2-0 you may blame yourself a little bit or think you could have done better, but to lose on penalties is the worst.”

Reading Chronicle:

Chris Gunter takes a tumble at Wembley.

He added: “We knew it was going to be tight because we were both evenly-matched teams.

“I think we both knew one goal could win the game and there weren't too many chances on the day.

“We had a little flurry at times and so did Huddersfield. Neither of us were playing for penalties, I want to make that clear, but there was always that chance and then it's a lottery.

“We obviously had the advantage, then Huddersfield did, then we ran out of penalties.

“It was always going to be tight and like I say congratulations to Huddersfield.

“They've had a successful season and will go up. Hopefully in 12 months time that could be us.”