3 Gareth Ainsworth alternatives Reading FC should target if Noel Hunt is sacked ft. ex-Bolton Wanderers manager | OneFootball

Reading FC manager Noel Hunt is under pressure following a poor start to the season

Reading manager Noel Hunt is under pressure to keep his job following a poor start to the 2025/26 campaign.

The Royals currently languish in the League One relegation zone after seven matches, winning on just a single occasion thus far, which has led to questions from supporters over Hunt’s future in charge of the club.

There was a positive mood swirling around the Select Car Leasing Stadium heading into this season, after Dai Yongge's long-awaited sale of the club to Rob Couhig back in May.

After narrowly missing out on the play-offs last term, there was real belief that Reading could make the final steps needed to seriously threaten the promotion-paying positions under their new ownership.

That doesn’t appear to be the case and if results don’t improve soon, Reading may be forced into a managerial change in a bid to maintain their League One status.

Football League World exclusively revealed that Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth could be the man to replace Hunt, following his impressive start to the 2025/26 League Two campaign.

However, in the scenario that Ainsworth opts to remain in his current position, Football League World have identified three other managers Reading could look to appoint if Hunt is sacked.

3 Ruben Selles

If Hunt is dismissed by Reading, the club could be tempted to appoint a manager who has previous experience of managing them.

Selles was the Royals’ boss throughout the 2023/24 campaign and until December of last season, when Hull City acquired his services.

This spell was by far the most successful of the 42-year-old’s time in management and a return could provide him with a familiar opportunity to get his reputation back on track.

The Spaniard led Sheffield United to five straight EFL defeats at the start of this season, just the second time the club have suffered that feat in their history. He was subsequently sacked, after less than three months in charge.

Reading supporters begged him not to leave them for Hull City last year and after seeing the promising results he can bring, the Royals may feel tempted to give Selles a second chance in charge.

2 Ian Evatt

Despite how his time with Bolton Wanderers ended, Ian Evatt proved to be a capable League One coach whilst in charge at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Although he couldn’t manage to get promotion to the Championship over the line, he did guide Wanderers to successive play-off campaigns, which would be quite the feat for Reading.

Furthermore, the 43-year-old transformed Bolton from a League Two side to a team fighting for second-tier football, which shows his capabilities to take control of a struggling side and slowly improve them.

Evatt’s relationship with the Trotters’ supporters soured towards the end of his time as manager, which could be a slight cause for concern, but Reading will hope that he has learned from his previous mistakes to grow into an even better coach.

Steve Evans has been out of work since March after being sacked by Rotherham, which has provided the 62-year-old with an opportunity to pull off a drastic weight-loss programme.

When speaking to Sky Sports, Evans revealed that he is feeling the benefits of this both physically and mentally, which could put him in good standing when entering his next job in management.

The former Leeds United boss has a wealth of experience in League One and knows exactly what it takes to steer clear of the relegation zone. Although Reading wants to ultimately fight at the other end of the table, it is imperative that they don’t drop down to League Two.

Once the ship is steadied and the Royals can focus on climbing up the third-tier standings, Evans would also be a perfect candidate.