Like our new Head of Football Operations, Niedzwiecki is a former Wales international who spent the entirety of his playing days with Wrexham and Chelsea – he made a combined total of 303 league appearances between the posts for the two sides.

A Third Division title-winner whilst still in his teens, Niedzwiecki was at Wrexham for a decade before joining the Stamford Bridge ranks in 1983. Another league title was earned in West London; Eddie was an ever-present in winning the league with Chelsea on goal difference to bring top-flight football to Stamford Bridge for the first time. He went on to make a total of 175 appearances for the Blues.

Niedzwiecki was twice capped by Wales manager Mike England, but he saw his career sadly cut short by injury in 1988, aged 27. However he began his coaching career with Chelsea before Royals manager Ian Porterfield brought him to Elm Park.

He took caretaker charge of the Royals for a short spell, before spending a large chunk of his coaching career as part of the Stamford Bridge set-up, working as reserve team and goalkeeper coach before leaving in 2000 following the appointment of Claudio Ranieri as manager.

He moved across the capital to become reserve team coach at Arsenal, whilst also working part-time with the Wales national team for several years in their qualification campaigns for the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004.

Eddie Niedzwiecki returns to the Royals as Director of Player Development