Women's Super League: What next for relegated Reading?
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Reading manager Kelly Chambers, who is expecting her second child this summer, has juggled various roles at the club for many years
Reading's eight-year stay in the Women's Super League has come to an end with relegation - so what next for the club?
Kelly Chambers' side fell to a 3-0 defeat by champions Chelsea on Saturday, confirming their place at the bottom of the table after 22 games.
"We lost it across the season," said an emotional Chambers. "The league doesn't lie.
"We are where we are now. It will hurt, especially for someone like myself who's been here for so long. It's a case of reset, rebuild and go again."
Chambers has been at the club for more than 20 years but, having proven her worth in the WSL, will she stay?
That is one of several questions that need answering as Reading prepare for life in the second tier, suffering relegation just a few weeks after their men's team dropped into League One.
'It is getting harder every year'
Reading had the lowest budget in the WSL this season, and were the only club not backed by a men's team competing in the Premier League.
It has led to challenges in the transfer market, with Chambers not being able to strengthen as effectively as others in the relegation fight while dealing with limited resources.
With the WSL thriving amid increased revenue from broadcast deals and a growing appetite to invest in the game, Reading's fall from grace could have lasting repercussions.
"For a club like us it's getting harder and harder every year," said Chambers. "I've been here for however long now and I've never been in a situation like this, so it's obviously very hard.
"If we stayed up then we'd probably be having another season like we are having. We can't compete with the clubs that are in the league right now because of the budgets.
"We're competing with Premier League clubs that are investing, which is what we want for the women's game and they should do - but we're not. They are going up and we're staying here."
Chambers highlighted relegation rivals Tottenham, who were able to bring in striker Bethany England for a British record £250,000 in January. England has since scored 13 goals in 11 club appearances.
Elsewhere, Leicester brought in five new arrivals, including Germany goalkeeper Janina Leitzig on loan from Bayern Munich.
"We have nowhere near those funds. Even looking at the size of Tottenham's staff, it is double ours," added Chambers.
"You look at Leicester and the budget they had in January to put towards players to try and stay in the league. Don't get me wrong, we brought players in, but that challenge is hard.
"I've had to be very clever with the way we do things at times. I'm not making excuses, but for a club like us, it was getting harder anyway and it will only get harder."
'I have five weeks until I have a baby'
Having fought against the odds to keep Reading in the WSL for eight campaigns, Chambers has more than proven her worth as a WSL manager.
Chambers, a lifelong Reading fan and a former Royals player, is expecting her second child this summer.
She took just two weeks off work for maternity leave in 2016 but will she consider a longer break this time, and potentially a permanent exit from Reading given their relegation?
"If I'm honest, I've not even thought about myself," said Chambers, who is also director of women's and girls' football at the club. "My first thought is how am I looking after the staff?
"There's players that want to know what's happening with their futures. We have some still under contract for next season. I've not been able to give them any answers.
"I have five weeks until I have a baby. I haven't even got a hospital bag ready. I've been at Reading a very long time and right now that's where I see myself. That's all really I can say.
"You could look at it and go maybe it is the best thing for us to go and rebuild. But as a competitor, you want to be in the top league," added Chambers.
"There are clubs in the Championship with bigger budgets than us.
"Everybody needs a break from it mentally but it will give us an opportunity to start again, rebuild and hopefully bounce straight back up."
'We have to keep those values'
Reading were promoted to the WSL in 2015, where they stayed for eight campaigns
Former Reading and England midfielder Fara Williams told BBC Two it was "heartbreaking" for the Royals, who had done a "fantastic job" of staying in the WSL for years despite it being financially challenging.
"The growth of the women's game is on the up and for Reading to keep up with that they have done a fantastic job over the years," she said.
"As the game has continued to grow they have struggled. But things happen for a reason. Maybe they go down, reassess, rebuild and try to come back up to the WSL."
The relegation of their men's team will have further financial consequences but Chambers thinks there is more the club can do to work together with the men's side and strengthen foundations they have already built.
"We want to do more together as a group," added Chambers. "Everyone from the outside looking in can see it's not been an easy season for the club overall.
"It's just about making sure now that those people in the club work hard to stick together and make sure they pull the club in the right direction."
Among the inevitable changes, Chambers hopes the women's team remain a full-time, professional team, as well as continuing to do work for the community.
"We have to keep those values. I want the players and staff back into the community more and building on the fanbase we've built," added Chambers.
"We're a family club and we can't lose that as a value, it's so important to us."
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