Reading Football Club has made the difficult decision to part ways with manager Paul Ince and assistant manager Alex Rae. The Royals are currently 22nd in the Championship and have not won a game in their past eight matches. Ince was appointed on an interim basis in February 2022 before taking on the role permanently last May.
The club was recently deducted six points for breaching the terms of a business plan set by the English Football League, leaving them a point from safety with five games left. In response to the decision, Reading’s head of football operations Mark Bowen commented, “I would like to thank Paul and Alex for their efforts throughout what has admittedly been a frustrating and exceptionally challenging season so far. We would like to wish them well in their future endeavours.”
Bowen went on to explain that the board would be working diligently to identify a new manager who is the best fit for the club going forward, but that the focus for now is on doing everything they can to survive this season. Former Reading striker Noel Hunt has stepped up from his role as under-21 boss to take interim charge for the remainder of the year.
Reading had previously been handed a six-point deduction in 2021 after losing £57.8m between 2017 and 2021, resulting in a transfer embargo which Ince had to work under during his tenure. The Royals started this campaign strongly, winning seven of their first 11 games to sit third in the table, but have only won two games out of 14 since the new year. Their top scorer this season is Ince’s son, Tom, who was signed after leaving Stoke last summer and has nine league goals.
Reading now face a battle to stay in the second tier, and will be hoping that Noel Hunt can help them achieve this goal. The club will be looking for a new manager who is capable of driving them towards a healthier, brighter future.