Reading assistant boss Kevin Dillon is confident Steve Coppell will remain in charge for next season's Championship return.

"I have spoken to Steve about his plans but that will remain private. No matter what people say, Steve is the only one who can give an answer, and I'm sure there will be one before the end of the week," said Dillon in the Reading Chronicle. "It is his decision and the only thing I would say is that he signed a two-year contract and has one year left.

"I've never known him to go against something like that. Personally, I hope he sees out his contract - and then signs another one. I will respect whatever decision he makes. All Steve Coppell asks is that you do your job to the best of your ability, he doesn't owe anybody anything. He's done an unbelievable job at this club. He's as good a manager as we've ever had."

Dillon added: "A lot of our players have said they want him to stay and you will not find a single person in football with a bad word to say about him.

"He's old school and he's been well brought up. He's very family orientated and he is still very close to his mum and his sister and he always sees them when we play up north."

Dillon believes Coppell is just the man to lead Reading back to the top flight, after taking them there for the first time in their history in 2006.

"He's the best manager to get us back to The Premier League, I have no doubt about that," continued Dillon. "He has a very supportive chairman and all this talk about Steve not being given money is rubbish.

"The money was there this season but we couldn't find the players to fit our criteria and we thought the ones we already had here were good enough."