Former Reading manager Brian McDermott has labelled the situation as 'sad' following a pitch invasion which got yesterday's match against Port Vale abandoned.

1,000 supporters ran on in the 16th minute, to represent the number of points deducted under Dai Yongge's ownership, and around 40 remained for over an hour to get the game officially called off.

McDermott, who spent over a decade with the club in two spells, famously guided the Royals into the Premier League in 2012.

 Now Director of Football at Hibernian in Scotland, he still keeps a keen eye on his former club.

Taking to social media after seeing the news, he said: "Two pitch invasions nearly 12 years apart. One in April 2012 when Reading Football Club won promotion to the Premiership. Another today, which meant the game was abondoned v Port Vale

"How can a football club go from being in the Premier League, to where it is today. There was something at Reading between the 2000 to 2012 called “ The Reading Way.”

"It meant we worked within our means. We didn’t have the biggest budgets but we had brilliant staff and players. We had a team, on and off the pitch, where the sum of the parts was always greater than the individual. We had staff members who knew what the process was, people who knew their jobs and what was required.

"We had players who were selfless and did whatever it took, to win the game. A place where players and staff wanted to come to work. Wanted to succeed for the fans. No extraordinary salaries, no extortionate transfer fees.

"We had an owner, Sir John Madejski, who would say bad luck when we lost and well done when we won. No drama, one way or another. Four managers in 12 years. A consistent staff. The list goes on.

"Today is a very sad day for all at Reading Football Club. I really hope and pray the club can get an owner, to take over, that deserves to own this great club. Worrying times, let’s hope today, is the rock bottom and the narrative going forward, can bring stability and consistency."