Reading Football Club are delighted to announce the addition of Nigel Gibbs and Mikele Leigertwood to the First Team coaching setup.
The duo, who have a combined total of 20 years service to the club already, will join up with Noel Hunt's technical team and be in the dugout for Saturday's Sky Bet League One tie with Blackpool.
Speaking of the appointments, Noel Hunt commented - "I'm delighted with the additions of Nigel and Mikele to our coaching setup in the First Team, with both of them having such close links to the club in the past.
Nigel's credentials speak for themself, working at some of the biggest clubs in the country as a First Team Coach. Having played under Nigel, I know what he brings to the table when it comes to nurturing and developing the exciting young squad we have at the club.
Mikele is an exciting coach who has been working tirelessly with the Under 18s to see them graduate to the Under 21s and beyond. On the pitch as my teammate he had a tenacious work ethic, and you can see that come through in his coaching and management style."
Both Nigel and Mikele will need no introduction for many Royals fans, but for those who have joined us in recent years, here is a rundown of the impact they have made at the club to date.
Nigel Gibbs
Gibbs arrives back at Reading for a third spell at the club, and will become Assistant Manager in Noel's leadership team.
His previous years in RG2 saw him work alongside Brian McDermott between 2006 and 2013, before returning for a short spell in 2018 as Assistant Manager to Paul Clement.
He was first brought in to work in the reserve team setup to nuture future talent into the First Team fold. Success followed alongside Brian McDermott, as the duo oversaw the Royals claim the 2006/07 Premiership Reserve League title with a 2-0 home victory against Bolton Wanderers in the Play-Off Final - in front of over 4,000 supporters. Amongst the winning team on the day were Championship winners Adam Federici, Alex Pearce and Hal Robson-Kanu.
Following Brian McDermott's appointment as First Team Manager in 2010, Gibbs joined the First Team coaching setup as Assistant Manager, sparking a period of great success in RG2. In his first full season the Royals reached the Championship Play-Off Final, and would go one better the following campaign when his side recorded an almost perfect second half of the season to beat Southampton and West Ham United to the title.
Gibbs would depart in March 2013, but returned as part of Paul Clement's coaching team in 2018.
Everyone at the club is delighted to welcome 'Gibbo' back to the Royals, and wish him every success in his time in RG2.
MIKELE LEIGERTWOOD
Mikele Leigertwood has moved from his role as Under 18s Manager to First Team Coach, and will join Noel and Nigel in the dugout on Saturday.
Eagle-eyed supporters will have seen Mikele assisting Noel in the dugout in last Saturday's draw at Wycombe Wanderers, with the former player now penning permanent terms as a coach in the First Team setup.
Affectionately known as 'Ledge', he joined the club as a combative midfielder on loan from QPR in 2010, before making the move pemanent in the summer of 2011 after impressing in the Championship. In his first full season, he would become an integral part of the Championship winning team that won promotion to the Premier League - and he would go on to make 30 appearances in the top flight.
After leaving the Royals in 2014 as a player, he would return just two years later as Academy Loan Manager in 2016. He would take on the role of Under 18 Manager in the 2019/20 season, nurturing the young budding talent that progresses through the ranks of the Academy.
In the 2023/24 edition of the FA Youth Cup, Leigertwood led his side to the Fifth Round, where they narrowly lost to eventual winners Manchester City 2-1 away from home.
On the international stage, Mikele is involved with the management setup of the Antigua & Barbuda international team, the country with which he made 11 appearances as a player.
We're delighted Ledge has agreed the move to reunite with former teammate Noel, and wish him all the very best as he continues his time in RG2.