Play-offs for Reading the target - Savage

Reading midfielder Charlie Savage says they are setting their sights on the League One play-offs after an impressive festive period.

The Royals won four of their five matches in 18 days, taking 13 points from a possible 15 and scoring 11 goals. They have climbed from 18th in the table to ninth, four points off the top six.

"22 games to go, it's still so far to go so we can't get too carried away. We've just got to keep consistent," Savage told BBC Radio Berkshire.

"I think we're very conscious as a team. We know what everyone's been through in the past couple years. We try not to get too high, not too low because at the start of the season when we were near the bottom, no-one would have expected us to get up here. Three or four wins in a row you get right up there.

"We can't dwell too much on all the outside noise. We are just trying to get to the play-offs and get promoted."

The Berkshire club struggled under previous owner Dai Yongge, with financial difficulties, points deductions and years of fan protests.

Their takeover by ex-Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig was finally completed in May 2025, and Savage says the club is being revitalised.

"We're so locked in, so focused. The club have invested in the cryotherapy chamber for us, which is amazing," Savage added.

"They've opened the pool up again after two years, so we're in that every day. And the manager is so big on helping us get all the tools that we can to succeed, and obviously it's paying off."

The players have 12 days to wait until their next league visit to Leyton Orient on 17 January. Savage says he will welcome as much recovery time as possible after a difficult festive period personally.

"I had flu before the Bradford game and didn't sleep one minute, and on the pitch was half-dead but tried to push through," he said.

"I took a nasty bash to the face against Peterborough, had plastic surgery the day before the Burton game, over 10 stitches.

"I shouldn't really have been involved, but I was saying to the manager 'I just need 10 minutes, get me on, because I can't handle missing a game'.

"So I've still been been available for every game since I've been here bar injury or suspension, and I'm quite proud of that."