Reading have lived the dream for two years, but yesterday they endured the nightmare. It is one that will recur time and again in the Coca-Cola Championship next season as they assess bruised egos, attempt to repair damaged pride and tot up the loss of about £38 million in revenue. Heads will roll.

Will that of Steve Coppell, the manager, be included? As he had uttered in his prematch press conference on Friday, now is not the time for emotional decision-making. Yet as he waved vigorously, both hands above his head, to the Reading fans at the end, it bore all the hallmarks of a farewell gesture.

“We are all bitterly disappointed,” Coppell, who has taken Reading into uncharted territory in his 4½ years in charge, said. “The dressing-room is a very sad place. It is difficult to know what to say to ease the pain. At this moment there is no comfort in words.

“Goodbye? It was just my way of saying thank you to the fans. They were great all afternoon and have been great all season. I asked security if I could could go back out there to just say thanks. It is too close [for any decision on his future].”

John Madejski, the Reading chairman, will not sack him, so the onus is on Coppell to serve out the remaining 12 months of his contract or forfeit the seven-figure sum he is set to earn next season, unless there is a clause in his deal that states a pay cut for managing in the second tier. Maybe some of his players should volunteer for that, anyway, such has been their lethargy since the end of last year. They have let Coppell down, not vice versa.

At least Reading went out with a flourish instead of a whimper against Derby County yesterday, the opening goal from James Harper – Reading’s first in 9hr 26min – paving the way for a comfortable victory.

At that stage – and for the next hour – Reading had moved above Fulham, who were drawing 0-0 away to Portsmouth. They were safe and Dave Kitson and Kevin Doyle scored from close range, strengthening their position. Emphasising the goal-shy malaise that had afflicted Reading for more than six matches and which had nudged them towards relegation, it was Kitson’s first goal – and first by a Reading striker – since March 8 and Doyle’s first since December 8. Neither has been injured.

When Danny Murphy gave Fulham the lead against Portsmouth in the 76th minute, the visiting team’s fans here fell silent. They knew. Leroy Lita added a fourth goal in stoppage time – had Reading scored another three, they would have finished above Fulham on goals scored – but the die was cast and the dream had died.

Derby County (4-4-2): R Carroll 5 – T Mears 4, D Moore 4, L Nyatanga 3, E Lewis 3 – M Sterjovsky 3 (sub: M Edworthy, 46min 4), R Savage 3 (sub: B Feilhaber, 46 5), H Ghaly 4, D Jones 5 – E Villa 3 (sub: P Simmons, 62 3), K Miller 4. Substitutes not used: L Price, M Addison.

Reading (4-4-2): M Hahnemann 5 – G Murty 5, M Duberry 5, I Ingimarsson 6, N Shorey 5 – J Oster 3, M Matejovsky 6 (sub: K Cissé, 83), J Harper 6 (sub: A Bikey, 86), S Hunt 3 – L Lita 4, D Kitson 4 (sub: K Doyle, 66 5). Substitutes not used: A Federici, J Kebe. Booked: Doyle.

Referee: M Riley
Attendance: 33,087

End-of-term report

Derby County

Season’s summary: Expected to finish bottom yet still disappointed.
How to improve: Forget this season and buy a new team.
Player of season: Stephen Pearson.

Reading

Season’s summary: Unexpected relegation after surprise success.
How to improve: Replace Steve Sidwell, a year too late.
Player of season: Marcus Hahnemann.