Non-Payment Of PAYE Added To List

Although it essentially goes hand in hand with Reading's confirmed failure to pay player wages last season, the Football League have added "Non-Payment of PAYE Owed to HMRC" to the list of regulations the club have failed to comply with. It is really just further confirmation of the same crimes, but it does confirm that Reading are in trouble with the tax man as well as the Football League. The club are in huge debt and have been unable to get anywhere close to a stable financial situation.

Despite Reading's owner putting more money into the club to keep it afloat it clearly hasn't been enough to correct previous mismanagement. Reading's revenue will take a further huge hit this season in League One. Reading's wage bill will be dramatically reduced with nearly all large contracts now ended. We also have very few professional playing contracts in place. That means it should be easier to pay wages this season as they will be so small compared to previous seasons, but that is only due to the severe lack of players.

Reading must recruit playing staff to be able to field a full matchday squad, but Reading's lack of spending power means no agent is going to want to talk to us on behalf of their player. The reality is that recruitment is going to be increasingly difficult for a club already looking at a points deduction. It is hard to look past a second successive relegation this season - and that is assuming the club can continue to operate at all.

EFL Embargo Reporting Service

The EFL Embargo Reporting Service currently lists just one club - Reading FC - with the following regulations that have not been complied with:

• Breach of Profit and Sustainability Rules
• Non-Payment of Loan Wages
• Non-Payment of PAYE Owed to HMRC