Why Reading are dreading the visit of Peterborough United on the opening day of the season

Posh will travel to the Select Car Leasing Stadium and find a club in apparent disarray following relegation from the Championship last season.

Reading still have just 11 senior professionals on their books and are now operating under a transfer embargo after failing to pay a HMRC bill on time. The club hope that bill will be paid early this week.

There is a suggestion some players who have signed won’t be able to play on Saturday unless the outstanding debt is settled because they won’t be registered with the EFL.

To compound Reading’s woes summer signing, former Cambridge United player, Sam Smith faces time on the sidelines after picking up an injury during pre-season.

Reading fans voiced their anger with owner Dai Yongge during their final friendly of pre-season, a 4-0 defeat to Swansea City, on Saturday. The Royals have lost every pre-season match.

"No- we are not ready," Selles told the Reading Chronicle. "We need some more support, some more players. Today (Saturday), we only had 11 professional players working with us. The Under-23s are working well with us, but right now we are not ready, we are far away from being ready.

"I have had contact with the owner and I was told the bill is going to be paid so we’re waiting for that to be done.”

Reading are also facing a points deduction for the second season in a row after failing to pay players’ wages on time on three occasions last season.

Unsurprisingly Reading fans are angry with the state of affairs and protested loudly against Yongge at the weekend match.

A campaign called 'Sell Before We Dai' has been set up by five Reading fan groups, with those involved calling for Yongge to sell the football club.

There could be protests at the game with Posh this Saturday.