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Coppell laments previous failures despite Derby win

12/05/2008

Reading manager Steve Coppell believes his side threw away their chance of survival in the Premier League by dropping too many points during the run-in.

The Royals thrashed already-relegated Derby County 4-0 at Pride Park on the final day of the season, but still went down along with Birmingham City because Fulham beat Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

It was the Cottagers' superior goal difference that ensured they finished 17th, but Coppell pointed to Reading's inability to beat the teams around them over the last month of the season as the main reason for their failure to survive.

"It is quite hard to swallow at the moment," he said afterwards.

"I had a feeling that if we won [against Derby] we'd have a real chance of playing in this division next season.

"The players did everything we asked of them, they put in a good performance and could have scored more goals.

"But we had our opportunities. We lost both games to Fulham and Bolton, and that has clearly cost us, as did not taking a point from Tottenham last week."

Coppell described the Royals' dressing room after the final game of the season as "a sad and lonely place… even though there are many people in it".

But he also praised his players' commitment to the cause throughout the campaign.

"I want to congratulate my players for battling away all season," he continued.

"But Fulham have earned the right to still be in this league. They have had some brilliant results recently, including at Portsmouth.

"In hindsight, all we can do really is congratulate Fulham. I guess they have put a real dampener on our day."