The 2017-18 campaign was a tumultuous season for Reading as The Royals slumped to a precarious 20th-place finish in the Championship, a dramatic fall after reaching the play-off final the previous year. Leading the fight was the pacey new signing Modou Barrow, whose 10 league goals were a bright spark in a campaign defined by inconsistency and the mid-season sacking of manager Jaap Stam. It remains a frustrating chapter in the club's modern history as the team narrowly avoided relegation following a turbulent year.