Reading set to give away £10,000 to fans this weekend with added bonus on offer

Reading fans haven't had much to cheer about recently.

The Royals were chasing the play-offs last season but this term has been one big struggle, with the club fighting against the drop into League One.

They were docked six points by the EFL back in November for a breach of financial rules. They are also subject to another six-point handicap but that will not applied, so long as they abide by the conditions attached to the penalty that runs until the end of the 2022-23 season.

The January window saw a clutch of departures, with Andy Carroll ending his short-term stay in Berkshire and heading to divisional rivals West Brom.

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Former club skipper Liam Moore also left, heading to Stoke on loan after five years at Reading.

This weekend the Royals toast their 150th anniversary when they host Coventry City, with a raft of celebrations planned at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

And the one that will excite fans the most is the chance of free cash - with a cheque of at least £1,000 up for grabs for a number of lucky supporters.

A Reading statement said: "Saturday is our 150th anniversary. And we are expecting a full house at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

"To celebrate, every single home supporter who attends this weekend's game against Coventry will be automatically entered into a random prize draw.

"The prize? The reward is befitting of an anniversary of this magnitude. A cheque for £1,000 each will be written to a minimum of 10 home fans!

"And for every thousand more who attend this weekend's game, a further £1,000 will be on offer to an additional prize draw winner. So…a home crowd in excess of 20,000 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium and owner Mr Dai will personally donate a total of £20,000 to the lucky winners!"

It certainly gives Reading's fans something to look forward to. But on the pitch the club have been in dire form.

They have lost seven games on the bounce in all competitions. The latest setback came on Wednesday night with a 2-1 Championship defeat away at Bristol City.

It has left supporters angry and manager Veljko Paunović under intense pressure. The club's last win was way back on November 23.

Ahead of the weekend's game, Reading owner Dai Yongge and CEO Dayong Pang penned a lengthy open letter to supporters on the club website.

In it, they tried to appease fan unrest. They wrote: "This season has been tough. We know.

"We have accepted a points deduction. We have accepted the strict transfer limitations we have had to work with.

"We have to accept that due to our circumstances and an unimaginable injury crisis, consistent performances have been difficult and achieving results has not been easy.

"We are in a fight and we need to fight together. To do that, we need you."