Second points deduction for Reading, suspended betting ban for former Peterborough United loanee

Owner Dai Yongge was instructed to put 125 per cent of the club’swage bill into an account by Wednesday of this week in order to comply with a disciplinary committee ruling after the club failed to pay wages on time on three occasions last season.

However, he has failed to do so thus automatically triggering a previously suspended three-point deduction.

Reading were also deducted a point last month so they have now lost four points this season.

They are currently on two points and are now 21st in the table ahead of Saturday’s home game with Bolton Wanderers.

Meanwhile former Posh loanee Harry Toffolo has been given a suspended five-month ban by the Football Association after admitting 375 breaches of betting rules. The 28-year-old's ban is suspended until the end of 2024-25.

He has also been fined £20,956.

Toffolo breached FA rules which ban players from placing bets or passing on information that could be used for betting 375 times between 22 January 2014 and 18 March 2017.

He was a Norwich City player at the time, and played on loan for Swindon, Rotherham, Posh and Scunthorpe.

He was at Posh in the first half of 2016.

The FA says the written reasons for the decisions ‘will be published in due course’.

Former Posh striker Ivan Toney received a lengthy ban from football for fewer offences.