Why Reading FC have appointed Leam Richardson - Rob Couhig has confirmed the reasons | OneFootball

Reading chairman Rob Couhig has explained why he has appointed Leam Richardson as the club's new manager.

Reading chairman Rob Couhig has revealed that Leam Richardson's strong track record in League One is one of the main reasons he has been appointed as the club's new manager.

After winning just three of their first 14 games of the season, Reading made the decision to part company with Noel Hunt on Sunday after less than a year in charge, with the Irishman departing with the club sitting 19th in the table, just two points above the relegation zone.

Shortly after Hunt's exit was confirmed, FLW broke the news that former Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield, who worked under Couhig previously at Wycombe Wanderers, was the Royals' number one managerial target, but as we exclusively revealed on Monday, the 41-year-old had been ruled out of the running to take over at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

With Bloomfield no longer in the frame, Richardson quickly emerged as the leading contender for the Reading vacancy, and he has now been officially named as Hunt's replacement, signing a contract to keep him in Berkshire until the summer of 2027.

After beginning his managerial career with Accrington Stanley, Richardson made a name for himself after taking over at Wigan Athletic in November 2020, first keeping the Latics in League One before guiding them to the title the following year, an achievement that saw him named as the division's Manager of the Season.

Richardson's last managerial role came with Rotherham United, but it is fair to say his spell at the New York Stadium did not go to plan, and after winning just two of his 24 games in charge, drawing four and losing 18, he was sacked by the Millers in April 2024, just weeks after their relegation from the Championship was confirmed.

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Richardson is the first managerial appointment Couhig has made since completing his takeover of Reading earlier this year, and as well as pointing to his impressive League One record, the American claimed that the 45-year-old possesses all the qualities required to take the club forward.

"I have admired Leam for some time. He is a coach and leader who embodies exactly the qualities we want at Reading Football Club – hard work, diligence, organisation and an absolute commitment to improving players," Couhig said in a statement on the club's official website.

"He achieved promotion from League One in extremely difficult circumstances and proved he can build success. He is humble, he is driven, and he builds strong, honest cultures – something I know Royals fans value and respect.

"Leam knows this division, he knows what a winning dressing room looks like and he understands the standards required to get there. He is hungry, ambitious and determined to move this football club forward. We are delighted to welcome him to Reading."

Richardson will be assisted by Danny Schofield and James Beattie at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, and he will take charge of the Royals for the first time when they host National League side Carlisle United in the FA Cup first round on Saturday.

Couhig is right that Richardson has an excellent record at League One level, having won promotion from the division with Wigan as both an assistant and as a manager, and that makes him a potentially exciting choice for Reading.

However, Richardson's title-winning success with the Latics was over three years ago now, and he failed to replicate anywhere near that level of success in his next managerial role at Rotherham, where he departed with a win record of just 8.3%.

In Richardson's defence, it was always going to be a tough task to keep the Millers in the Championship given their limited budget, but after his disappointing stint at the New York Stadium, he arrives at the Select Car Leasing Stadium with a point to prove.