Coppell not scared of relegation

Steve Coppell, the Reading manager, admits hardly a moment goes by when he is not thinking about ways of avoiding relegation from the Barclays Premier League.

The Royals are one of a cluster of clubs who know they must put more points on the board to secure their top-flight status despite a morale-boosting 2-1 victory over Birmingham on Saturday.

And Coppell, whose side took a step back by losing at Liverpool a fortnight ago following victories over Middlesbrough and Manchester City, revealed he was unable to switch off from the task in hand.

He said: “There are seven or eight teams involved and we are all uncomfortable. It dominates your every thought and that applies to managers, coaches and players.

“You can be watching TV or a film or playing golf and in the back of your mind you will be thinking ‘we have eight games to go’. It is hugely significant in a club’s history.

“It is meaningful.”

But the former England winger, who suffered relegation with Crystal Palace in the 1990s, insisted it was a challenge from which he refused to shirk.

He said: “I have never been afraid of defeat. I don’t like it but I have never been afraid of risking it to try to win games. I have never been frightened of losing my