Kelly Joins Richardson After Cup Embarrassment

03 November 2025
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading have appointed Rob Kelly as assistant manager to join new first team manager Leam Richardson after Richardson replaced Noel Hunt last week. Kelly comes to Reading from League Two team Barrow where he was also first team assistant. He previously worked under Richardson at Wigan Athletic and Rotherham. The two had success at Wigan, winning promotion out of League One, but struggled at Rotherham before going different directions.

Richardson was sacked from Wigan in November 2022 and had to wait a year before his next position at Rotherham where he managed just two wins in 24 games. He was sacked from Rotherham in April 2024 and left with a points per match record of just 0.42. Richardson now returns to management a year and half later with a huge job to do at Reading. The Royals will be hoping the management team of Richardson and Kelly, along with experienced existing coaches, can replicate the success they previously had in League One with Wigan.

Richardson's first game in charge of his new side was an impressive capitulation at home against non-league side Carlisle United on Saturday as Reading went straight out for the FA Cup in the first round. Reading looked set for a rare win, in front of just 3929 spectators, until conceding twice in stoppage time, and Carlisle then went on to win in extra time after Regan Linney completed his hattrick. Richardson's nightmare start was made worse after picking up a booking well before Carlisle's late comeback.

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