STEVE Coppell has given Reading a massive boost ahead of Sunday's promotion showdown with Birmingham City by rubbishing reports stating he has made up his mind to quit in the summer (live Sky Sports, 1.15pm ko.)

Royals kept their automatic promotion dream alive with a slick 2-0 victory at Norwich City on Tuesday night thanks to Shane Long's superb headed brace in the second-half.

Now Coppell's side will reclaim their Premier League status this weekend if they can beat Birmingham and hope that Sheffield United fail to win at Crystal Palace the same afternoon.

Even if they miss out they have already clinched a play-off spot and will have that crucial home advantage in the semi-final second leg because they cannot finish lower than fourth.

Newspaper reports over the weekend suggested Coppell, whose contract expires in June, has already decided to step aside at the end of the season regardless of whether the club is promoted.

However, it appears the rumours are without foundation and Coppell will stick with his usual routine of discussing his future with chairman Sir John Madejski when the campaign is over.

He explained: "I have had an awful lot of people congratulate me on retiring and asking me what I'm going to do - but it's absolute rubbish.

"Nobody knows what's going to happen in the summer - I haven't got a clue. Certainly I haven't confided in my closest friends and told them that I'm packing up.

"It's not right that I should be responding to this when it's a non-story. It's a nonsense for anyone to say I'm going to walk away from football in the summer - what would I do?

"Yet I've got to respond to the questions - I almost give it credence by responding to it."

And he quipped: "In February when we hadn't won a game all month I was a little bit manic depressive....but no more than normal."