Reading FC manager Paul Ince believes that his team need to win three of their remaining seven Championship matches to stay in the division.
The Royals were deducted six points by the EFL on Tuesday after failing to comply with the business plan that was agreed with the league in November 2021, following a six point penalty last campaign with an added suspended penalty.
Ince’s team now sits in 20th place and just one point above the relegation zone heading into the final chapter of the season.
“It’s been hanging over us for a period of time,” said Ince.
“The reality of it happening is demoralising, but we have to deal with it.
“The timing of it is poor with seven games to go. That’s the most disappointing thing for me. I don’t know why it’s taken so long.
“We just want to move forward and get these wins to keep us in the league.
“It’s gone from being one more win and we’re safe. Now we need three wins to stay in the league so the mindset has switched.
“I don’t want it to be in our mindset and say if we go down it’s because we had six points deducted from us, we can’t think that way.”
Ince remains confident that his players can get the team out of trouble and gets the points needed to fight off relegation to League One, starting with a home match against Birmingham City on Friday.
He continued: “This team never down tools. They always give everything irrespective of what the situation is and that starts on Friday against Birmingham.
“It’s no fault of ours, the playing staff or the management staff, it’s something that has happened prior to us coming here, but we have to be the ones to try and get us out of this situation.
“We need to get on with it and try and pick up points.
“I think maybe sometimes we’ve not been as attacking as we’ve needed to be and I feel now in the situation where we need to pick up points, it’s not a case of trying not to lose games, but we need to win games.
“We’ve got to start winning games and the only way to do that is by getting forward and attacking so hopefully that will be the case.
“I think we need to pick up three wins and hopefully that starts on Friday.
“It’s time for every player to roll their sleeves up now. The ones who have been on the fringes have to step up to the plate.”
