Reading FC manager Paul Ince is insisting that no preparations should be made for next season until the club know what division they will be in.

The Royals hover dangerously above the Championship drop zone, just five points clear with eight games to play.

Ince and his side travel to South Yorkshire on Saturday to face Barnsley, the side directly below Reading and currently occupying the last relegation place.

With 14 first team players out of contract next season, and still financial uncertainty lingering in Berkshire, many supporters are worried about the depth of squad left over for next season, regardless of what division the club may be in.

However, interim manager Ince, who himself is only thought to be under contract until the end of the season, believes that no thought should be given to next season until they have confirmed survival.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Oakwell, Ince stated: "We can’t have any distractions at this time. We can’t look at players until we know where we are. We are focussing firmly on the next eight games, and we’ll go from there.

"If we stay in the league, we’ve got two months to prepare. Hopefully in four weeks’ time we’ll sit there and think we’re alright, and then we might start planning ahead, but until then that’s got to be the focus."

After talk on potential player contracts came to an end, talk naturally turned to his contract.

But again, the former Manchester United and England midfielder remained coy on his future.

He added: "I can’t even think about that. My future doesn’t matter. The job is to keep this team up and I can't think any further than that. Come the end of the season we’ve got to see where we’re at. There’s a lot that needs to be done but we need to think about the here and now.