What punishment will Reading likely receive for match abandonment?

Reading fans continued their protests against owner Dai Yongge on Saturday with a pitch invasion in the 16th minute of their game against Port Vale. After 69 minutes on the field, Reading fans had managed to get the game abandoned – which was their aim from the outset.

The invasion was a step up from any protest Reading fans had done since the launch of the ‘Sell Before We Dai’ campaign as they looked to create more of an impact with times getting even more desperate for the club.

Reading released a statement earlier this week stating they are ‘in dialogue with relevant authorities’ and ‘are yet to be informed of the appropriate course of action’. This not only regards issues such as ticketing and the rearrangement of the fixture but more glaringly for the fans, the potential punishment the club may receive.

It is not the first time a set of fans from a club in turmoil have stormed the pitch to create a stance. In 2017, Leyton Orient fans invaded the pitch in their final home game of the 2016-17 season in protest against then-owner Francesco Becchetti. Following the game, the EFL decided to suspend Orient’s ticket sales for their final game of the season away to Blackpool.

This decision was eventually reversed and The O’s were permitted to take 1,000 fans to the game as long as they were season ticket holders or members of the Leyton Orient Fans Trust.

2 years prior, Blackpool were the ones in a similar position and got their final game of the season abandoned against Huddersfield. As it was the last game of the season, the game was not replayed due to both clubs’ league positions not being able to change and the result went down as a 0-0.

As a result, The FA fined Blackpool £50,000 and threatened with a game needing to be played behind closed doors should they pitch invade again. Further punishment followed as they were handed a suspended three-point deduction for two seasons later. However, no requirement was made by the commission set up to rule on the case to compensate the travelling fans for travel etc.

Port Vale fans at the game and online showed unwavering support for the Reading protest, mainly due to the fact it was a cause they could relate to. In 2019 they too had ownership issues too, Norman Smurthwaite put the club up for sale after trying to run the club by himself in order to allow investment in players.

Ultimately, Vale spent beyond their means and Smurthwaite could no longer afford to fund the club and issued a deadline for the sale, or he would enter them into administration and would not put “one cent more into the club.”

As far as EFL Regulations go, the punishments are vague and not definite. However, Rule 29.5 entitles the visiting team to have their travel and/or hotel expenses paid for by the home team up to a party of 24. This is ironic for Reading as the club are reportedly no longer able to afford overnight stays before away fixtures due to Mr Dai’s significant withdrawal of funding.

Any other punishment that Reading will be given is likely to be handed out similarly to the Blackpool situation previously mentioned, whereby the FA will issue a fine and an independent commission will review the appropriateness of a sporting sanction.