Former Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway and EFL pundit Ali Maxwell expressed concern for the current state of Reading FC after Saturday's 3-2 defeat to Coventry City.

The Royals celebrated their 150th anniversary in their Championship clash with the Sky Blues but the day was overshadowed by a fan protest against the running of the club beforehand whil on the pitch, Veljko Paunovic’s side made it eight straight defeats.

Speaking about the situation at the club on the TV programme EFL on Quest, Maxwell said:

“It was a bit wishy-washy the open letter the owners published this week. And that is one of the issues the Reading fans have with the ownership. Previously no communication and then when it came, it was what they considered poor communication. 

“An array of strange decisions in player and manager recruitment, on the pitch stuff. It’s obviously led the club to being sanctioned with a points deduction for breaking the EFL’s financial rules. And it comes back to the questions the fans have: are you looking after the best interests of my club? 

“The Reading fans don’t feel the owners are at the moment and if they are they’re not explaining themselves very well. There’s a reported link to the agent Kia Joorabchian as well which they were protesting today. It’s a far cry from excellent Reading fans we remember from the not so distant past.”

Meanwhile, Ian Holloway, who managed against the great Reading sides that earned promotion to the Premier League in 2006 and 2012, lamented the departure from those glory days to the chaos that has engulfed the club.

“I was managing against both of them and they trounced us every time,” Holloway said. “Stevey Coppell and Brian McDermott…there’s some wonderful history there and there’s nobody linked to all of that so you can understand how the fans feel. 

“Sometimes the owners need to really tell them what they’re thinking and what they’re trying to do. And really, it doesn’t look good for that manager at the moment.”