Mikele Leigertwood's goal 10 minutes from time condemned Forest to a 1-0 defeat and secured automatic promotion to the Premier League for the Royals.

Cotterill was left frustrated as he felt his side had the better of things at a nervy Madejski Stadium.

However, he still took time out to congratulate Brian McDermott and his jubilant Reading players after the game.

"I don't think we deserved to lose," he said. "From 70 minutes onwards I thought we looked the better team and were going to win the game.

"It's a measure of how far we have come as a team in recent weeks is that we were on the road to (League) One and now after playing the top team in the league the lads are sitting in the dressing room disappointed that we didn't win the game.

"But congratulations to Brian McDermott and the Reading boys on their promotion. They deserve it.

"I watched Brian walk round the Wembley pitch after the play off final and he looked so upset. I rang him the next day to try and cheer him up.

"He has the right sort of boys at this club so congratulations to him and to all of them on gaining a thoroughly deserved promotion."