Reading and the Football League have come to an agreement regarding a suspended three-point penalty due to a pitch invasion during their League One game against Port Vale earlier this month.
On January 13th, approximately 1,000 fans of the Royals stormed the field in the 16th minute of the game to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the team’s owner, Dai Yongge.
The EFL has declared that the team has reached a resolution regarding the penalty for suspended points, which is consistent with the punishment given to Blackpool in a similar situation in 2015. The game will be played again in its entirety on Tuesday, February 20th, as confirmed by the EFL.
The EFL released a statement regarding the penalty, stating that it would be enforced immediately in the current season or in 2024-25 if any EFL competition game is postponed or abandoned due to disruptions caused by the club’s fans, including invading the field.
“The League acknowledges the current difficulties faced by the club and its fans. We have taken note of the opinions expressed at the recent meeting between supporters and the EFL regarding the possibility of implementing additional points deductions on the club,” the statement stated.
This method strives to find a middle ground between fulfilling the obligations of the EFL, who oversees the competition, and ensuring that all parties involved understand the consequences of a fixture not being fulfilled due to protests from fans.
Reading got a positive update on Tuesday when they secured a surprising 1-0 win against Derby County at home, giving them a chance to survive in League One.
In the 54th minute, Paul Mukairu scored the only goal of the game after following up on a shot by Femi Azeez. After falling behind, Derby had difficulty posing a threat to the home team and suffered a setback in their attempt to get promoted. On the other hand, Reading is still in last place but is now 10 points away from avoiding relegation.
Bolton climbed ahead of Derby to take the third spot in the standings following a 1-0 win against Cheltenham. Victor Adeboyejo’s goal in the 24th minute helped them bounce back from their recent losses. Barnsley also improved their chances for promotion as an own goal by Sam Long in the early minutes secured a 1-0 victory over Oxford.
Due to a 10-match winless streak in League One, Charlton’s manager Michael Appleton was let go. Northampton secured a 3-2 win at the Valley, with Louis Appéré scoring in stoppage time. Tayo Edun’s late dismissal left the hosts with 10 players.
During an unusual match in League One, Wigan defeated Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 with a goal from Charlie Hughes in the 110th minute. The extended amount of added time was due to an injury sustained by referee Adam Herczeg, who was caught in a collision on the field 10 minutes after the game resumed. He was substituted by fourth official Steven Rushton.
In another match in League One, Exeter scored a 1-0 victory against Bristol Rovers, with teenage striker Sonny Cox scoring the winning goal.
In the fourth tier of English football, Mansfield lost additional points in their attempt to move up in the ranks, as they were tied 1-1 at home by struggling Sutton. Lee Angol scored for the opposing team in the beginning of the game, but George Maris equalized in the 35th minute, resulting in a draw for the Stags.
The MK Dons easily won 3-1 against AFC Wimbledon, who ended the game with only nine players as Huseyin Biler and Paul Kalambayi were both ejected in the middle of the second half.
Bradford’s streak of not winning continued for six games as they tied 1-1 with Salford, who are also struggling, at Valley Parade.
Source: theguardian.com
