READING have been promoted back to Category One Academy status after being demoted last summer.

READING have applied to return to Category One Academy status and are confident of regaining their licence before the start of next season.

READING'S Academy, which was once held up as a flagship for youth development, has been demoted to Category Two for the coming season.

FORMER Tottenham Head of Recruitment Brian Carey has joined Reading in the same role.

MARK BOWEN has returned to Reading in his fifth different role, this time as Head of Football Operations.

ANTHONY FERGUSON has left AFC Wimbledon to become Head of Coaching at Category One Reading. He replaces Carl Plunkett, who left the Royals to join Crystal Palace in February.

ED FRANKLIN has left Reading after more than 14 years and is currently working as part of Arsene Wenger’s Talent Development team at Fifa.

FORMER player Michael Gilkes has replaced Ged Roddy as Reading’s new Academy Manager.

GED RODDY has been sacked as Reading Academy Manager after less than two years at the club, TGG understands.

READING have released aerial footage of their new £50m training facility, which will soon be home to their first team, Academy and women’s sides.

GED RODDY, the architect of the EPPP system, says new figures showing an increase in playing time for English Under-21s in the Premier League prove “long-term investment in youth is finally paying off”.

READING have appointed Italian Gianluca Nani as their new Sporting Director following the departure of Brian Tevreden to Belgian side KSV Roeselare.

READING have been thrown out of the FA Youth Cup for fielding an under-aged player.

LEE HERRON is leaving Reading after 17 years to become Football Operations Manager at Arsenal’s Academy.