Championship rivals of Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United bracing themselves for points deduction amid EFL investigation

The Royals, who visit Middlesbrough on Saturday, are faced with a threat of the deduction for allegedly breaching a business plan with the English Football League.

The plan was put in place last season when Royals were docked six points for breaching profit and sustainability rules.

Reports claim that the Berkshire club have not adhered to an agreement made with the governing body in 2021-22.

Ince's side are currently 14th in the table and 13 points above the bottom three, but a points penalty could put them in the relegation equation.

Ince said: "I think it's going to be next week, I don't know what day. We want to know - if we get it then great, give it to us and if not, let us get on with the rest of the season.

"I don't know the depths of it. But there have been no transfer fees this season, nothing going on. It has been tough but it's been great to work with Mark Bowen since he's come in.

"Even if we get the six points deducted, there are still positives of taking the club forward and restructuring it. That's what fans want to know and we have to be crystal clear with them.

"We're on 44 points - until someone tells me, the players or the fans differently, that's how we've got to look at the situation. What's happened is not an issue myself or Mark Bowen have created. It's a historical issue which we can't do anything about.

"We don't need to mention it any more. It's done and if it comes, we deal with it. If it doesn't, then great but we need to get it off our focus which is Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Millwall in our upcoming games.

"We can't be feeling sorry for ourselves or using it as an excuse. We can't use it as an excuse. But we have big characters in there who can control the changing room and we'll try and pick up as many points as we can.

"We are 13 points clear and were looking upwards but then all of a sudden this could happen and the morale could change. It's important I keep the lads going, keep believing and hopefully we can do the job which we need to do.

"The first aim was always to stay in the league, that's why I said that. I can't determine what happens upstairs in the financial department, that's not my job.

"But when you have a suspended six points hanging over you, we've got to do everything by the book and we've done that. So to have this bombshell from what happened two years ago is a shock. But for me we have to go with it, not cry or moan about it and give it our all."

Reading host Sheffield United on March 7 and Hull City 11 days later and their final game of the campaign is at Huddersfield on May 8.