Paul Ince has been sacked as Reading manager with the club fighting for Championship survival after a 2-1 defeat at Preston on Monday.
The loss extended their winless sequence to eight matches and left them a point adrift of safety after a six-point deduction for breaching the EFL’s financial rules.
This season began positively with the club amongst the top three after 11 matches.
Ince, who was appointed on an interim basis in February last year before being named permanent manager, has led Reading to just two wins in the Championship in 2023.
As interim manager, he led Reading to safety with four wins in 14 fixtures.
His assistant Alex Rae has also left but Under-21 manager, Noel Hunt, a former Reading striker, is taking charge of the first team until the end of the season.
Reading’s next game is at home to Vincent Kompany’s Burnley, who have confirmed promotion to the Premier League, on Saturday.