Five players were axed this week when skipper Jobi McAnuff, Mikele Leigertwood, Kaspars Gorkss, Wayne Bridge and Stuart Taylor were told their contracts would not be renewed as a result of the Reading’s failed promotion bid.

And with no end in sight to Sir John Madejski’s quest to find a new owner, Gunter fears there could be more cutbacks ahead.

Gunter is entering the final year of his contract at Madejski Stadium along with Adam Le Fondre, Danny Guthrie, Alex McCarthy, Jem Karacan, Alex Pearce, Garath McCleary and Adam Federici.

When asked if he feared the first-team will be split up, Gunter suggested: “That’s up to the club and they need to get that sorted straight away for the sake of the fans and the atmosphere around the place.

“No doubt there will be speculation about certain players as there always is, regardless of our situation.

“Hopefully that can get sorted out to give ourselves the earliest opportunity to start building for next year.

“Before you know it we’ll be back in for training, playing some friendlies and looking forward to the season. So hopefully all that goes the right way for us.”

Sir John Madejski is looking to sell the club after Anton Zingarevich failed to go through with his own takeover.

He bought 51% for around £20 million two years ago but has refused to buy Madejski’s remaining 49% as promised.

It means Madejski has resumed control of the club, but desperately needs investment from elsewhere to improve the squad.

However, the when asked if the ownership problems had a detrimental affect on results, Wales international Gunter, 24, said: “It would be too easy to say that, it would be a coward’s way out.

“We can’t say we didn’t make the play-offs because of that because it is not the case.

“Every day the manager, staff and players gave as much as they possible could and the players did everything they could.

“We probably could have done with some help this season in terms of bodies. We signed three players last summer and lost more than we brought in.

“It was a tough season in that respect.”