Fresh off the back of Darren Ferguson getting the boot at Posh, another League One club have sacked their manager.
No, it’s not Huddersfield, although it wouldn’t surprise me if it became three for the weekend. Instead, Reading have dispensed with the services of Noel Hunt following their tepid start to the League One campaign.
Beaten by us on the opening day of the season, the ambitious Royals were meant to be promotion candidates. Instead, they languish at the foot of the division, spelling the end for Hunt.
The former Republic of Ireland forward, who previously played for Reading during their Premier League days, returned to the club as a coach and later stepped up to manage the first team in difficult circumstances. However, a run of just three wins from 14 matches has left the Berkshire side hovering above the relegation zone.
In a statement, chairman Rob Couhig confirmed that Hunt had been relieved of his duties.
“Today I have made the decision to terminate the contract of First Team Manager Noel Hunt,” he said. “This is a difficult day for everyone at Reading Football Club. Football is a performance-based business and while we have seen moments of progress this season, results have not reached the level required.
“After honest discussions inside the club, I believe this is the right moment to make a change to move us forward.”
Couhig praised Hunt’s long association with the club, noting his service as a player, academy coach, and manager.
“Noel has conducted himself with integrity, hard work and total commitment,” Couhig added. “He cares deeply about Reading and leaves with his head held high. He will always be welcome at the Select Car Leasing Stadium – once a Royal, always a Royal.”
The chairman also reflected on the club’s broader direction, calling the decision “not an easy one, but a necessary one” to help re-establish Reading as a competitive League One side after several turbulent seasons off the field.
Hunt’s departure leaves Reading searching for their fourth permanent manager in less than three years, following spells under Paul Ince and Rubén Sellés. With the club still adjusting to life outside the Championship and battling financial constraints, the next appointment will be critical to stabilising a squad built largely on youth and free transfers.
The Royals were held 1–1 by Doncaster at the weekend, leaving them only two points clear of the relegation zone. As they now look for a new manager, the hope in Berkshire will be to arrest a slide that shows few signs of slowing.
No immediate replacement has been named, though interim options within the current coaching staff are expected to lead training this week ahead of the next fixture.
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