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VIDEO: Furious Reading fans storm pitch to confront manager and players

Furious Reading fans took to storm the pitch to confront their manager and players after picking up a SEVENTH straight league defeat.

Royals suffered a 3-2 defeat against Coventry on Saturday afternoon, leaving them only two points above the Championship relegation zone.

Supporters made their feelings known towards boss Veljko Paunovic, wanting him out of the club immediately and before their next game on Wednesday at Peterborough United.

A section of supporters legged it onto the playing surface as the club’s 150th anniversary game turned into a nightmare.

They made their way to Paunovic’s technical area with security quickly stepping in to separate them while some players also had a talking to by fans.

Hundreds of Reading fans had protested outside the stadium prior the game as they aimed their anger at Paunovic and their Chinese owners.

The fans chanted ‘We want Pauno out’ and ‘We want our Reading back’ with some displaying a banner that read: “150 years history but how many more?”

Reading took the lead and gave fans optimism of a much-needed win after they went ahead midway through the first half through a Lucas Joao header.

The hosts could have doubled their lead, with John Swift and Tom Ince going close through well-struck efforts from distance.

However, Coventry levelled in the second minute of first-half stoppage time when Dominic Hyam, an ex-Reading academy product, hit home a low shot through a number of bodies and past the unsighted Karl Hein.

Two minutes into the second half, City were ahead after Michael Rose got on the end of a Gustavo Hamer corner.

Reading got an equaliser eight minutes later when an Ince corner from the right was bundled in by defender Andy Yiadom.

And much to Reading’s frustration, Junior Hoilett was then dismissed for two fouls in six minutes, before Ian Maatsen struck the ball with a deflected attempt.

Despite late pressure from Reading, they failed to get the all-important equaliser and it all turned sour at full time.

Paunovic said post-match:

The first half was our best in a long time. The first chance was for them and it was a great save by Hein.

That gave him and the team the boost we needed and also helped the fans who were fantastic. We want to thank them for coming out in such massive numbers, it was very helpful for the team.

We had everything under control in the first half but then we conceded a goal – we could have prevented the corner.

A lack of concentration resulted in a lack of urgency to defend the goal. That was upsetting.

We knew we had to start the second half better but for some reason we don’t start them well and we have to be more alert and focused, and play in the opposition’s half.

When we took the lead, we had a great chance with Tom Ince but after that we stopped finishing and we stopped crossing.

That’s a property of our team which is more difficult to fix but we must do that. It frustrates me a lot. We have to finish and enter the box because when we do that, it’s dangerous.

In the second half, we conceded the second goal poorly, it wasn’t good at all. It couldn’t compare with the previous game where we were pretty solid on set-pieces.

We fought back and it was 2-2 but then we conceded a second yellow card which hurt us immediately as we conceded a goal in the next action which was avoidable.

It was naive goal and we played unnecessary passes instead of going forward. There was a deflection and it ends up in the net and from that moment we made changes.

A massive positive was Meite’s impact – he had a fantastic individual play on the right side and a great cross from Ince who produced an unlucky finish.

That was definitely the moment of the game for us.

On his own future

There is no need to answer that. If someone has to happen, it’ll happen.

We need to understand, whoever is here, to change this situation he has to do his best, day in, day out.

They need to ask, in my case, have I done my best today and given the team what they need on the mental side, or tactical side?

That’s the approach we need. We need an openness to fix mistakes and people who want to push forward and fight back.

I don’t like to say that because there is no time, unless you take advantage of that time. Everything must be done immediately and that’s what we want to do here.

We need to stay away from negativity and whatever is happening around. It is my responsibility and I feel very sorry at some point I let certain things happen and provoked so much frustration and negativity around us and myself, but I understand that.

I know how football is and I’ll keep looking to fix it and change that, but most importantly for the team.

And then I need everyone on the same page. I need the team to play like they did today. The team follows the plan, structure was good, fitness wise was a huge improvement as we expected in February.

There are people coming back. Take away the mentality and the situation but the team had strong structure, a performance like last season where we did well and that’s what we will look to recover.

Once certain people are back, that helps.

Twitter users gave their thought as furious Reading fans storm pitch to confront manager and players…

@joesowten: Agree with the intention behind a protest, but too many turn up to give it the biggun each week with no interest in the club whatsoever! This lot end up making it laughable. Chants of “f*ck the EFL” at a protest about our own mismanagement, and selfies on the pitch 😂? #readingfc

@bealec1988: Fans aren’t stupid. If you fail to sack a manager after he’s lost 5,6,7 games in a row then there’s definitely something going on behind the scenes and it’s killing our club. Hence the anger that boiled over a full time. Get Kia out of our club. #readingfc

@uptheroyals1871: All a bit pathetic today tbf, scrapping in the upper west with other #readingfc day trippers

@AndyRFCCharman: If the EFL use this as an excuse to dock us those extra 6 points, the idiots involved will be the most hated people in Reading. If you want to protest on the pitch, at least wait until players & officials have left it. #readingfc

@BenjyNurick: Michael Morrison was confronted by a number of fans and seemed to engage in a heated discussion before they started to chase after other players. #readingfc

@jeffhallett: Please, direct the anger towards the board

@SimonPovey95: That’s it,I’m done with #readingfc For this season,I’m either gonna end up getting arrested or end up punching one of my own fans,in over 40 years being a fan I’ve never been as angry with the club and fans as I am now….I’m going for a beer and a lie down….stay safe…

@_ethann3: this is what we should be doing. our club is dying and 5 points off the bottom, more of these scenes are needed. try having to pay for your ticket every week rather than getting freebies by the club

@royalb79: Fans on the pitch staying off the pitch agree or disagree it doesn’t matter! We as fans need to stick together and make our feeling known to the club however we see fit! We’re not the problem let’s remember that! #ReadingFC

@nickmightyroyal: I just don’t get it, has there been any club that hasn’t got rid of their manager after such a disastrous season and run, it can’t just be about another 6 points off, there must be more to it #readingfc

@TQ_Royal: hThose at the top benefitting from a fragmented fan base. Half arsed protest and nothing to disrupt the day. Split feelings on pitch invaders. If everyone had gone on the pitch, it would have had an impact. Blinded by waltzers and cash giveaways. #readingfc

@Hoops1791: Lost for words at how bad this has become. Relegation is inevitable, I think we all know that. It’s what happens after is what concerns me. Seems like there’s every chance our great club will die. Genuinely can’t believe this shit #readingfc

@ttmaynard: Everything associated with @ReadingFC now is just so broken and depressing. So sad to see our decline and the club that so many care about crumble in front of us. Fans are the ones who are suffering here. Feel we are sliding into an abyss that we won’t climb out of #readingfc 😭

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