Reading are facing the prospect of the third tier of English football for the first time in over two decades following relegation from the Championship next season.

A league packed with big clubs, with the likes of Portsmouth, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town all battled it out last season in what is considered the 'lower leagues.'

However it is not all doom and gloom, with plenty more matches, more concrete fixture dates and times plus nearer away trips to the likes of Oxford United and Bristol Rovers.

Here are three big changes to expect next season in League One.

Reading Chronicle:

Expanded away end

The club announced last week that away fans will be offered an extension to their allocation, with visiting supporters offered seats in the Upper West.

Causing some controversy as supporters are not a fan of seeing charging fans more money as a positive, it will increase the total visiting allocation and should allow Club 1871 to be expanded behind the goal for some fixtures.

With average crowds likely to fall following relegation, increasing atmosphere however possible should be seen as an important challenge for the club and supporters.

Reading Chronicle:

EFL Trophy

A competition for clubs in the bottom two divisions, a chance to play- and win- at Wembley is at stake.

Attracting nearly 80,000 this year when Bolton Wanderers faced Plymouth Argyle, it is a competition taken very seriously in the latter stages.

Slightly devalued when Premier League Academy teams were entered in the group stage, with the Royals entering one themselves in 2016, it will mean the club will play at least three more matches.

Not very well supporters in the early stages, only 2,725 turned up in October 2001 for the sides 2-1 win over Colchester United.

Never reaching a final, Bristol City knocked Alan Pardew's men out in the semi-final stage in 2000.

Split regionally, it provides supporters the chance to visit some new grounds in League One and League Two.

FA Cup entry

The oldest domestic cup competition in the world, Reading reached the semi-finals as recently as 2015.

However, this will be much harder this year as the club enter two rounds earlier.

Championship and Premier League teams enter at round three, but the Royals will have to come in at round one.

In the final two years in the third tier, under Pardew, the club failed to even reach the third round as York City put them out.

Hosting the likes of Welling United and Grays Athletic since the turn of the Millennium, supporters will be hoping that there is no repeat of last season's exit at the hands of non-league Kidderminster Harriers.