The 2009-10 campaign was a dramatic season of two halves for Reading, with The Royals finishing a respectable 9th in the Championship, anchored by a thrilling run to the FA Cup Quarter-Finals under new manager Brian McDermott. Leading the charge was the emerging star Gylfi Sigurðsson, whose 20 goals in all competitions, including 16 in the league, earned him Player of the Season and proved decisive in a campaign built on an exciting blend of grit and youthful attacking flair.