The 2016-17 campaign was a season of soaring ambition and heartbreaking near-miss for Reading, with The Royals, under the tactical guidance of Jaap Stam's 'tiki-taka' passing style, securing a spectacular 3rd-place finish in the Championship. Spearheading the attack was the veteran French striker Yann Kermorgant, whose 18 league goals and total of 19 proved decisive, including the crucial penalty that sent them past Fulham in the play-off semi-final. The dream of a Premier League return ended in cruel fashion, however, as they were defeated by Huddersfield Town on penalties in the Play-Off Final at Wembley, marking a memorable, yet ultimately painful, chapter in the club's modern history.