Derby County coach in Reading protest plea amid abandonment worry

Port Vale’s match against Reading was abandoned after home fans invaded the pitch

Derby County first-team coach Matt Hamshaw is sympathetic to Reading fans over their financial plight but hopes they will allow both teams to finish tomorrow’s game.

Royals supporters hit the headlines earlier this month as they launched a pitch invasion during their game against Port Vale in protest at owner Dai Yongge. The game was abandoned after 16 minutes with both sets of players taken off the field as around 1,000 fans made their voices heard.

The club is in dire financial straits with supporters desperate for the club to be sold and have made themselves heard through protests which has included tennis balls being thrown on to the pitch. With Reading back at home for the first time since the Vale abandonment tomorrow night, there could be a fresh wave of protests with Derby in town.

Asked whether Derby’s players have been briefed for the League One clash against the Royals, Hamshaw said: “We have not spoken to the players and I don’t know whether we should or we shouldn’t.

“I think we just have to prepare for a game of football and whatever happens on that side of things is down to the referee and the officials. I do have sympathy for them as a football club as I would any other club in that position. There is a lot of unrest and a lot of things going on that we don’t know about but we only see it from the outside.

“I think if you ask most fans they will go on about tennis balls and that without really knowing the detail. From an outsider looking in you probably don’t get the real facts, but you never do do you?

“Both sets of supporters want to go and support the team and speaking personally and I was a Derby fan and the game got called off after 67 minutes, I’d not be too best pleased. Voice your opinion before and after the game but just let the teams get on with it for 90 minutes.”

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