Reading forward and academy graduate, Emma Harries, has called it a 'sad day for women's football' as the club announced that the women's side will drop down to part-time.

Eight years of top-flight football came to an end last month as the Royals were relegated to the Championship with a whimper.

Twinned with the men's relegation to League One, it rounds off a disastrous campaign for Reading.

Harries, 21, has been at the club for over a decade and took to social media to show her anger at the situation.

"Heartbroken for everyone involved in the women’s team," she said on Twitter. "As a club, we have had some incredible players that have successfully stayed in the top flight of women’s football for years.

"The staff, who have been at the club for numerous seasons, deserve so much better. I've witnessed first hand the amount of time and effort invested into this club by our staff, which makes this extremely sad.

"It’s a sad day for women’s football. The game is only getting better, and it is getting rightly recognised as an excellent sport. We should be promoting this game, rather than taking away role models for younger girls to aspire too. Sorry to all the Reading FC Women Fans."

READ MORE: Reading FC captain calls on club to 'invest' as she confirms exit

She was very vocal as recently as last week about the lack of funding for Kelly Chambers and her women's set-up.