These are nervous times to be a Royals fan. The defeat at Goodison Park on Saturday was their seventh successive defeat and, to rub salt into the wounds, Steve Coppell’s men have failed to score in 450 minutes of football.

 Undoubtedly Reading are facing up to “second-season syndrome”. They are not the first team or player to have been afflicted with this problem. So far this season they have conceded 53 goals in the league, six more than they let in during their debut season in the Premier League.

The parallels with Ipswich’s two-season stay in the top flight a few years ago are numerous. The Tractor Boys finished fifth in the Premiership in 2000-01 and George Burley was named Manager of the Year. The following season, they made a disastrous start and were relegated on the final day of the season after a 5-0 defeat by Liverpool.

'Hahnemann is an excellent goalkeeper who belongs in the highest division and continues America’s fine tradition of developing top-class goalies'


 Ipswich overstretched in their second season in the big time, spending large amounts of money on poor players; Reading avoided this trap but have found out what a tough division the Premier League can be.

Thankfully, the players have realised that they are in a relegation dog-fight. England international Nicky Shorey commented in The Guardian: "The bottom line is we simply have not been good enough. Teams have dips in form but ours has gone on for far too long now. Everybody keeps mentioning relegation and it is getting talked about by the lads. But it's plain to see if you look at our league position. We can't hide away from it."

The admission from the full-back comes hot on the heels of goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, who said: “There is extra pressure on us, so now we'll find out who has got the balls to handle it. But the squad we have today is basically the same as the one that finished eighth last year, so we definitely have enough quality . . .” 

Hahnemann will be crucial in the run in. He is an excellent goalkeeper who belongs in the highest division and continues America’s fine tradition of developing top-class goalies. He is exactly right to ask “who has got the balls to handle it.” West Ham also had a great first season in the top division in 2005-6 but the following season they also struggled, mainly because many of their most important players seemed to expect success rather than fight for every point.

 Thankfully, Steve Coppell has been reassured that his position as manager is safe, which it should be even if Reading are relegated. Chairman John Madjeski said: "Steve's position is rock-solid. He has another year left on his contract. I intend to honour it and so does he. I am confident we will not be relegated because of the strength of character we have. Our players work extremely hard. They put personal ambition to one side and play as a team. That is what we require now."

 Crucially Reading have signed a striker who could lift them out of this mess. Mali hitman Jimmy Kebe was signed from Lens in the transfer window and with his quick turn of pace he has been likened to Thierry Henry. The return of Andre Bikey from the Africa Cup of Nations could also make a difference to Reading’s survival hopes.

The Royals’ next fixture, at home to Aston Villa, is crucial for their hopes of survival. They still have to play a number of the teams around them in their battle for survival including Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Newcastle, Fulham, Wigan and perhaps most crucially, Derby on the final day of the season.

Reading, like Ipswich before them, have been a breath of fresh air in the Premier League. Coppell and his players speak sensibly to the media and have a team ethic which should be applauded. Their squad also contains a number of English players and Dave Kitson remains the top English goalscorer in the Premier League this season.

The top flight needs clubs like Reading to remind fans of bigger clubs what football is really all about, showing that in sport anything is possible. I, for one, hope they “have the balls to handle it.”