'We probably have to leave the tag of "little old Reading" behind,' says club captain Jobi McAnuff as I question him on the recent takeover.
The Royals seem to have earned a reputation as everyones favourite 'other team'; always there or thereabouts, but not quite good enough.
But after the club was bought by Russian billionaire Anton Zingarevich, that could all be about to change.
Mission: Jobi McAnuff (left) hopes to finally win promotion to the Premier League
'We can only go by what the chairman said and that's been positive,'McAnuff adds. 'The indications we've seen early on, like Jimmy Kebestaying and players like Jason Roberts coming in, are good.
'For us as players it looks like we are going in the right direction and we're hoping that continues.
'Financially the club has been run really well and I'm led to believe that will continue. Money wont be thrown at it left, right and centre. It will be spent in a sensible and structured way.
'I think the club is in a different place than it has been for a long time now, with a clear objection.'
Promotion back to the Premier League has long been the objection for Reading but this could finally be the catalyst they need.
McAnuff himself reached the play-offs for the fourth time as a player last season but was again on the losing side, this time to Swansea in the final.
Heartbreak: Reading lost to Swansea in last season's play-off final at Wembley
Having recovered from a sticky start, the Royals are set to mount another challenge on the showpiece event this term.
'We had a bit of a slow start but once the first six games were out of the way, we had a good run and we're in a good position going into the back end of the season,' McAnuff adds.
'Over the years that has been the way it's gone at Reading. We seem to lose one or two big players each season and nobody fancies us after that.
'But we know what we've got in the dressing room and what we're capable of and we're happy to plug away and get on with our work. If that surprises a few people, then fair enough.'
Those 'big players' this time around were Shane Long and Matt Mills who left for West Brom and Leicester respectively.
Firepower: Striker Jason Roberts has joined Reading from Blackburn
The goals of the former were always going to be hard to replace but Adam Le Fondre, who arrived from Rotherham, and now Jason Roberts, are two potent marksmen.
'That was always going to be an issue, losing Longy and the amount of goals he scored, particularly in the second half of last season. It's up to other people to step up and I think what we've found this year is that we haven't been over reliant on one individual.
'It's been a team effort to get the goals and the results. A lot of that is based on a good defensive structure. We're hard to beat and we take the goals as they come.'
The man behind Reading's consistency is Brian McDermott who has been in the hotseat for just over two years.
And McAnuff was quick to praise his often under-rated boss.
'Over the last two and half years in particular, I don't think there are many managers who are anywhere near him.
'Tony Mowbray has done well in terms of points picked up but I'm sure Brian will be up there. He never panics and just gets on with it. He trusts us to go out there and perform and for players it's a huge confidence boost for the manager have that faith in you.
'I think he's very under-rated but for us that's a good thing as it means he continues to do the job at Reading.'
McAnuff has spent his whole career in the second tier of English football but refuses to dwell on missing out on life in the Premier League.
'For me the main thing is to enjoy what I'm doing and I'm lucky to have been in that position throughout my career. Like anyone else I'd like to get a crack at the Premier League at some stage but it hasn't happened yet.
'I'm in a team that is capable of that and as long as that's the case then I'm sure it'll happen. It's not something I can get too obsessive about.'
If Reading's new dawn proves as promising as predicted, McAnuff may realise his dream sooner rather than later.
One thing's for sure, 'little old Reading' are due a return to the big time.
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