| 1894-95 | Founder member of Southern League |
| 1897-98 | Also played in Western League professional section |
| 1898-99 | Left Western League, but joined United League |
| 1900-01 | Rejoined Western League |
| 1901-02 | Southern League runner-up |
| 1904-05 | Southern League runner-up |
| 1910 | Relegated to Division Two |
| 1910-11 | Southern League Division Two Champions, conceding only one goal at |
|
| home all season |
|
| Promoted to Division One |
| 1914-15 | Southern League runner-up |
| 1920-21 | Founder member of Division Three South |
| 1925-26 | Football League Division Three South Champions |
|
| Promoted to Division Two |
| 1926-27 | F.A. Cup semi-finalists |
| 1930 | Escaped relegation to Division Three on goal average |
| 1931 | Relegated to Division Three South |
| 1931-32 | Football League Division Three South runner-up |
| 1934-35 | Football League Division Three South runner-up |
| 1939-40 | Football League programme abandoned due to outbreak of war |
| 1948-49 | Football League Division Three South runner-up |
| 1951-52 | Football League Division Three South runner-up |
| 1958-59 | Placed in Division Three upon re-organisation |
| 1971 | Relegated to Division Four on goal average |
| 1975-76 | Promoted to Division Three |
| 1977 | Relegated to Division Four |
| 1978-79 | Football League Division Four Champions |
|
| Promoted to Division Three |
| 1983 | Relegated to Division Four |
| 1983-84 | Promoted to Division Three |
| 1985-86 | Football League Division Three Champions |
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| Promoted to Division Two |
| 1987 | Relegated to Division Three |
| 1992-93 | Division Three re-designated Division Two on formation of F.A. |
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| Premier League |
| 1993-94 | Football League Division Two Champions |
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| Promoted to Division One |
| 1994-95 | Football League runner-up |
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| Not promoted after play-offs (SF Tranmere Rovers 1 Reading 3, |
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| Reading 0 Tranmere Rovers 0 - Agg 3-1, F Bolton Wanderers 4 |
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| Reading 3 @ Wembley) |
| 1998 | Relegated to Division Two |
| 2000-01 | Not promoted after Play-offs (SF Wigan Athletic 0 Reading 0, |
|
| Reading 2 Wigan Athletic 1 - Agg 3-1, F Reading 2 Walsall 3 @ |
|
| Millennium Stadium, Cardiff) |
| 2001-02 | Football League Division Two runner-up |
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| Promoted to Division One |
| 2002-03 | Not promoted after play-offs (SF Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Reading 1, |
|
| Reading 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 - Agg 1-3) |
| 2004-05 | Division One renamed "Football League Championship" |
| 2005-06 | Football League Champions |
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| Promoted to F A Premier League |
