On this day five years ago, a heart-breaking penalty shoot-out defeat ensured it was Huddersfield Town and not Reading who were being promoted to the Premier League.

So where are the players now?

READ MORE: WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Reading FC lose play-off final in Cardiff

Ali Al-Habsi

The Oman international signed a two-year deal with the Royals in 2015 and was vital in both campaigns. Notching an impressing 91 appearances in that time, he won the club’s Player of the Season Award in back-to-back years.

EFL Championship Goalkeeper of the Year, the former Wigan Athletic goalkeeper moved back toward home and spent two years with Al Hilal upon departure until retiring in 2020.

Chris Gunter

The highest-capped Welsh international, the full-back was a dependable figure in eight years with the club racking up more than 300 appearances.

The 32-year-old left upon the expiration of his contract in 2020 and played more than 50 times for Charlton Athletic in League One, but the South-London side have since released the defender ahead of next season.

Tiago Ilori

Reported to be the clubs record signing upon arrival, the Portuguese defender joined from Liverpool in January 2017.

Scoring once in 64 appearances for the Royals, the 29-year-old left in 2019 and moved to Europe and Sporting Lisbon.

Running out just 23 times for the side, and experiencing a loan move in France with Lorient, he has spent last season with Boavista.

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Liam Moore

The first on the list who is still at the club, Moore had a stellar debut campaign at the Madejski Stadium, albeit his decisive penalty miss confirmed defeat in the play-off final.

The club’s Player of the Year for 2017/18, he was made club captain ahead of the 2019/20 season- a role he would hold until last season where he was stripped of his captaincy after stating his desire to move onto pastures new.

Still under contract with the Royals, he was sent out on loan to Stoke City for the second half of last season but sustained an injury so only played six times for the Potters.

What the future holds for the former Leicester City defender remains unknown.

Joey van den Berg

30-year-old van den Berg arrived in Berkshire with a reputation for a tough-tackling midfielder/defender in 2016 and lived up to the billing.

A slight cult figure at the club, he was a regular in his two seasons in the UK and made almost 70 appearances before being let go in 2019.

As of 2020 he was with Dutch amateur side Alcides, but only for training after sustaining knee problems.

Tyler Blackett

Brought in by new manager Jaap Stam that summer, the Manchester United youth product had gained experience with Birmingham City, Blackpool and Celtic before arriving on the free transfer.

A versatile defender who was deployed either centrally or on the left, he was a sturdy choice who improved as his Royals career progressed.

Leaving RG2 to join Nottingham Forest in 2020, he has failed to play more than 20 matches for either of his clubs since, namely the Tricky Trees and FC Cincinati in the MLS.

With 110 appearances, Reading are his most appeared for club.

 

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George Evans

26-year-old Evans joined the club under Brian McDermott in the January previous. A solid holding midfielder, he arrived with a strong reputation having been developed at Manchester City.

Playing 71 times before his move to Derby County in 2018, he has forged a good Championship career for himself with the Rams and currently Millwall.

Danny Williams

The German-born USA international was a fan favourite in Berkshire, and the 2016/17 campaign was by far his best.

Joining from Hoffenheim in 2013, he played more than 30 league games in his first two seasons and more than 40 in his final two, leaving in 2017 with 156 to his name.

Scoring his penalty and crying at full-time, it was to be Williams’ last appearance in a Reading shirt as he moved to the day’s opponents Huddersfield Town shortly after.

Playing just 40 matches in three seasons after for both the Terriers are Pafos in Cyprus before retiring, he has since founded the fashion brand Beautiful Struggles.

John Swift

Just 21 when arriving at the beginning of that season, his progression into one of the league most dominant attacking midfielders in the five years since has been a joy to watch.

Peaking this season with 11 goals and 13 assists, the out-of-contract star looks set to depart with 196 appearances and 33 goals to his name.

Lewis Grabban

A January temporary addition from Bournemouth, the experienced Championship striker scored three in 16 appearances for the Royals.

He has since enjoyed goal-laden spells with Sunderland and Aston Villa, as well as a four-year stint at the City Ground with Nottingham Forest.

Captain of the former European Cup winners, he has missed both legs of their play-off semi-final with a hamstring injury as they look to earn promotion back to the top flight for the first time since 1999.

 

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Yann Kermorgant

35 when rocking up to Reading, few could predict the impact the former Charlton Athletic and Bournemouth man would have.

Three goals in his opening half season was blown out of the water as he notched an incredible 19 the following season, including the winning penalty in the play-off semi-final with Fulham.

Tempted to stay for another season, he bagged just twice in 27 appearances the following season to finish on 24 in 92 matches before heading home and finishing his career with boyhood club Vannes.

He retired in 2020.

 

Subs

Roy Beerens

Another Dutch import under Stam, the winger had an impressive debut campaign with seven goals.

An unused substitute in the final, he played just 20 times the following season and re-joined Vitesse for three final years before announcing his retirement in December 2020.

Joseph Mendes

A cult hero in Berkshire for his crucial brace to beat Aston Villa, his game time was limited, and he played just 20 times across two seasons before returning to France.

He is currently with Chamois in Ligue 2.

Jordan Obita

Academy graduate Obita made his first team debut aged just 16 in 2010 but had to wait until 2013 before breaking through.

His next four years saw him establish himself as a regular for the Royals but injury-struck in 2017 as he missed almost the entirety of the following campaign.

Always popular with supporters, he left the club following the expiration of his contract in 2020 having made 191 appearances, having a spell with Oxford United before becoming a vital player at Adams Park with Wycombe Wanderers.

 

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Garath McCleary

Another with a long-term association with the club, winger McCleary played more than 250 games over eight years with the Royals.

Scorer of the famous goal in the FA Cup semi-final, the former Nottingham Forest favourite leaves memories that will last a lifetime and is already a firm favourite with Chairboys fans at Wycombe since arriving in Buckinghamshire.

Adrian Popa

The Romanian winger joined in January 2017, but he only made 17 appearances across three seasons, two of which were spent out on loan in Saudi Arabia and Bulgaria.

The international is now with boyhood club Steaua Bucuresti.

Anssi Jakkola

The Finland international goalkeeper joined in the summer of 2016 from Ajax Cape Town in South Africa and played just three cup matches in his debut campaign.

Becoming more prominent in the two seasons that followed, he departed in 2019 with 30 appearances to his name.

Now 35, he has been playing regularly in League One and Two for Bristol Rovers for the past three seasons, keeping goal twice as Joey Barton’s Gas won promotion back out of the basement division last season.

Liam Kelly

The breakthrough player of the season, Stam brought him into the fold after Christmas and he set the world alight.

The 26-year-old came through the ranks with the Royals but followed Stam to Feyenoord in 2019.

An unsuccessful spell in Holland, with just two appearances, saw him return to more familiar shores with Oxford United.

He is currently with Rochdale in League Two where he played over 35 times last season.