DEFLATED!

An incredible effort from all involved with Reading FC this season so very nearly paid off.

Credit must go to the players and backroom staff for the excellent performances through out the campaign. The fans must also get a mention as their support has not gone unnoticed by the players and the management.

I’m not going to play the blame game as to why we lost the play-off final. However, I was a bit miffed when I saw centre-back Liam Moore step up for a penalty when we still had Garath McCleary and George Evans available.

Perhaps nerves were an issue which is obviously understandable given the importance of the game.

Credit must go to Huddersfield for completing their fairytale journey to the top.

They were predicted to be relegation candidates at the start of the season yet spent most of the campaign in and around the four play-off places.

It’s undoubtedly a brilliant achievement for them to make it into the big time.

Reading players, especially Danny Williams and Yann Kermogant among others put their heart and soul into the game on Monday as well as in all previous league fixtures.

We owe Williams and Kermogant a huge debt of gratitude for the passion and effort with which they perform consistently.

Williams is out of contract shortly and is likely to be a strong candidate for top division sides intent on avoiding relegation.

The midfield maestro runs tirelessly and puts every ounce of effort into every game and we’d be fools not to offer him a much-improved new contract, regardless of cost.

Williams is an incredible asset to this club and nobody symbolises what it’s about to work hard for your team more than the American.

Reading Chronicle:

Out-of-contract Danny Williams was in tears at the final whistle.

In terms of our actual play-off performances we’ve been stable and looked solid at times. We still look as if we can be caught out on the counter and appear vulnerable when up against pace.

However, Stam has the tactical ability and now financial backing to fix these issues over the summer and I really do believe we will come back stronger and challenge Fulham, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday and the recently relegated teams for promotion.

I’ll be writing a few articles over the summer break on what I believe we need to do to strengthen our team to keep up with the competition.

We will be up there at the top of the division, we will be challenging for promotion and we will be back, I am certain of that.