Reading FC sacks Paul Ince as manager
Assistant manager Alex Rae has also left the club
Last updated 11th Apr 2023
Reading Football Club have sacked Paul Ince as manager.
It comes as the Royals have been without a win for their last eight matches and have a relegation battle ahead of them following a six point deduction last week.
The former England, Manchester United and Liverpool midfielder was appointed at Reading on an interim basis in February last year and led the Royals to safety last season with four wins in 14 fixtures.
He took permanent charge last summer but a 2-1 defeat at Preston on Easter Monday extended their winless sequence and left them a point adrift of safety.
The club has appointed Under-21s manager and former Royals striker, Noel Hunt, as interim first-team manager until the end of the season.
Director of Player Development, Eddie Niedzwiecki, will be his Assistant Manager accompanied by First Team Coach James Oliver-Pearce – a management team who will take to the home dugout for the first time when we host league leaders Burnley at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday.
Head of Football Operations, Mark Bowen, said:
“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.
“The board will work diligently to identify the manager who is the best fit for this football club going forward - a candidate capable of driving it towards a healthier, brighter future.
“However, for the next five games, our only focus is on doing everything we can to survive this season. Put simply, that means everyone – from myself, to the staff, to the supporters - lending all their support to Noel, Eddie, James and the first team players as we go into five crucially important games at the end of our 2022-23 campaign.”
The sacking comes less that 24 hours after Ince told the media that it wouldn't matter who ran the club blaming the harsh restrictions placed on the club by the EFL and individual player errors.
But fans had grown tired of what they felt were his negative tactics.
Supporter group Elm Park Royals has welcomed the move.
The club will be hoping the change will silence the fans who'd refused to get behind the club and help create a unified atmosphere as they face a massive battle to stay in the championship.
It doesn't get much harder than Saturday when the club face Premier league bound Burnley at the S-C-L stadium.