Reading began planning for the 2013–14 Championship season on 28 April 2013, after a 0–0 draw at home to Queens Park Rangers condemned both sides to relegation from the Premier League.

Those departing included Noel Hunt, Nicky Shorey, Ian Harte, Jay Tabb and Simon Church, as well as Joseph Mills, Brett Williams and three youngsters.

[7] Goalkeepers Stuart Taylor and Jonathan Henly signed a new one and two-year contracts respectively,[8] while four other out-of-contract players, including Lawson D'Ath also committed their futures to the club.

[19][20] The following month Ryan Edwards moved on a season-long loan to Perth Glory with Daniel Carriço joining Sevilla on a similar deal with a view to a permanent transfer.

[34] They played further games away to Boreham Wood, which they drew 1–1 courtesy of a De'Juane Taylor-Crossdale penalty, and Fulham, which finished 3–3, before a 3–2 win over Bristol City with Jake Taylor among the scorers.

[39] The team then returned to the Madejski Stadium for a home game against Watford which Reading lead 2–0 at half time after goals from Le Fondre and Jem Karacan.

[52] Reading then faced Leeds United who were under the management of former boss Brian McDermott and, after losing Jem Karacan early on to a serious knee injury,[53] Adam Le Fondre headed home in the 96th minute to steal a 1–0 win.

[68] Reading returned from the international break with a home game against Doncaster Rovers which they won 4–1 with goals from Danny Guthrie, Adam Le Fondre, Garath McCleary and Pavel Pogrebnyak.

[73] The team then hosted Queens Park Rangers and took the lead through Garath McCleary though a late Joey Barton free kick leveled the scores as the game finished 1–1.

[79] Lawson D'Ath joined Dagenham & Redbridge on an emergency loan until the end of December,[80] whilst the local press suggested that Reading had failed in a similar bid for West Bromwich Albion's Graham Dorrans.

[88] The team then suffered back-to-back losses, going down 2–1 at home to Wigan Athletic and then 1–0 away to automatic promotion contenders Leicester City; Pavel Pogrebnyak scoring Reading's solitary goal.

The visitors took the lead in the first half when former player Greg Halford headed home before Stephen Kelly equalised in the 5th minute of injury time with his first goal for the club.

Michael Hector returned from Aberdeen after a successful six-month spell and was immediately included in the first team squad while Jonathan Henly joined Oxford United for one month.

[100][101] Dominic Samuel also left the club, joining Lawson D'Ath at Dagenham & Redbridge for a month, though his spell there lasted just one game after he suffered a knee injury requiring surgery 40 minutes into his debut.

[104] The following week Reading recorded their largest win since 29 December 1979,[105] defeating Bolton Wanderers 7–1 with goals from Gorkšs, Pavel Pogrebnyak, Hope Akpan, Nick Blackman and an Adam Le Fondre hat-trick.

[107][108] Despite netting seven times the previous week, Reading were unable to register a goal in their next match as they lost 2–0 away to Ipswich Town with another former player, Stephen Hunt, among the scorers.

[110] Speculation arose that Reading's lack of activity in the transfer window was due to the ongoing discussions over the ownership of the club,[111] with manager Nigel Adkins appearing to confirm the reports.

[124] On the loan front, Jonathan Henly's spell at Oxford United was extended for a second month,[125] while fellow goalkeeper Stuart Moore joined Gloucester City until March.

[127][128] The first game of the month was a home tie against Yeovil Town which ended 1–1 despite the visitors being reduced to eight men when Byron Webster, Joe Ralls and Kieffer Moore were all sent off in the second half.

Having fallen behind to a Shane Duffy header, Reading missed the chance to equalise when Adam Le Fondre's penalty was saved, though from the resulting corner John Lundstram put the ball into his own net.

Goals from Garath McCleary, Nick Blackman, Hal Robson-Kanu and a second in two games for Drenthe gave the side a 4–0 lead and despite the hosts scoring twice in quick succession, Reading held on for the win.

[133] In between the games Jason Roberts confirmed long suspected rumours that he would retire from football after failing to overcome a hip injury suffered against Southampton in December 2012.

[138] There was further movement among the club's young goalkeepers during the month as Jonathan Henly and Stuart Moore completed spells at Oxford United and Gloucester City respectively.

[147] Another heavy away defeat followed as the team lost 3–0 to fellow promotion contenders Wigan Athletic,[148] with the result seeing Reading drop out of the play-off places for the first time since March.

Needing only to equal Brighton & Hove Albion's and Blackburn Rovers' result, Reading took the lead after 16 minutes when Kieran Trippier put the ball in his own net.

[157] Captain Jobi McAnuff, as well as fellow 2011–12 promotion winners Kaspars Gorkšs and Mikele Leigertwood departed after more than 400 combined appearances, along with Stuart Taylor and Wayne Bridge, who subsequently announced his retirement from football.

[161] Prior to the season Reading announced that they had been awarded Category One Academy status under the Elite Player Performance Plan and would therefore continue to compete in Professional Development League 1.

[188][189][190] In the league, Reading's indifferent form continued throughout January and February with just two wins from seven,[185] though in the Youth Cup, victories over Crewe Alexandra and Accrington Stanley ensured progress into the quarter-finals.

[194] In the return leg at Craven Cottage Reading found themselves leading thanks to goals from Tarique Fosu-Henry and Jack Stacey, though a last minute Moussa Dembélé strike gave Fulham a 3–2 win on the night and a 5–4 aggregate victory.

[185] Of the six players whose futures were uncertain upon the conclusion of the season, three: Nana Owusu, George McLennan and Rob Dickie were offered their first professional contracts while the others were released.