Written by
Simon Austin
May 19, 2026
Reading owner Rob Couhig has admitted there will be redundancies among both Academy and first-team staff at the club this summer as part of a wide-ranging “end-of-year evaluation”.
The American businessman, who completed his takeover of the club in May 2025, said the changes would enhance rather than degrade operations though – and insisted that the club was working to maintain Category One Academy status.
In an interview with BBC Berkshire, Couhig said: “I came into Reading and tip-toed around the existing structure for a year almost, around seven months.
“That’s not how we usually operate when we take over a business – we usually come in and establish our own policies – but we realised that things were not getting accomplished our way fast enough, strong enough and with enough diligence.
“So we committed ourselves to an end-of-year evaluation across the board, there are going to be some redundancies, in the non-football side, the football side and the Academy side.
“None of which will cause a degradation of what we do but in fact in our view an enhancement, we’re also adding people.”
He added that “there would need to be some changes” as the Academy loses “around £3m a year.”
TGG understands that the club spends £2.8m a year on the Academy, with the Premier League contributing £1.2m. This £2.8m spend is the lowest of any Category One Academy in the country and below the average Cat 1 spend of more than £4m.
Reading have continued to generate income from Academy products this season. Jayden Wareham joined Exeter City for an undisclosed compensation fee after rejecting a new deal, while Michael Craig moved to Leyton Orient, also for an undisclosed fee.
The club has also received add-on payments from previous sales and solidarity contributions linked to Michael Olise’s move to Bayern Munich.
Proud Academy history
Reading have a long and proud Academy history. Since 1999, their youth set-up has produced 92 first-team graduates, including stars such as Gylfi Sigurðsson, Michael Olise and Omar Richards.
The club regained Category One status in July 2023 after a temporary downgrade caused by Covid-related downsizing and remain the only League One side with that elite classification. Other than the brief downgrade, they have been Cat 1 since the launch of the EPPP system in 2012.
In TGG’s latest Academy Productivity Rankings, Reading sit 14th – a strong position in view of operating on the lowest budget of any Cat 1 Academy.
Despite the redundancies, the club has strengthened specific areas. Swindon Town’s Head of Academy Goalkeeping Travis Wood has joined the Royals’ set-up. Wood, who previously worked as a coach at Cardiff City and as an Academy Goalkeeper Coach at Tottenham, posted on LinkedIn: “After two seasons as Head of Academy Goalkeeping at Swindon Town, I’m moving onto a new challenge.
“It has been a pleasure to work with such talented players and dedicated staff during my time at the club. I’m incredibly proud of the progress made.
“Thank you to everyone at Swindon Town for the support and memories throughout my time.”
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