The 2004-05 campaign was a season of soaring hope and heartbreaking near-miss for Reading as The Royals, under manager Steve Coppell, finished 7th in the Championship, just missing the play-offs on the final day after a loss to Wigan. Spearheading the attack was the talismanic Dave Kitson, whose 19 league goals, including a crucial hat-trick against West Ham that ended a long winless run, earned him the Player of the Season award. It was a pivotal year that proved the team's Premier League potential and laid the stable foundation for their historic, record-breaking title-winning season that immediately followed.