Former West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Clarke has been handed the reins at Reading, the English Championship club announced on Tuesday.
Clarke, 51, has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract and succeeds Nigel Adkins, who was sacked on Monday after a 6-1 thrashing at Birmingham City that left Reading in 16th place in the second tier.
“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Reading Football Club and I look forward to helping the club move in the right direction,” Clarke told the Reading website.
“A big part of the work ahead is on the training ground and I look forward to meeting the players and getting onto the grass with them. There is real potential here and hopefully exciting times ahead for the supporters.”
Premier League side West Brom, who sacked Clarke a year ago, are the only team the Scot has managed, but he previously worked as a coach at Newcastle United, Chelsea, West Ham United and Liverpool.
“He comes with a CV of the very highest order and I look forward to moving back up the table with him in charge,” said Reading co-chairman John Madejski.
Clarke will take charge of his first game this weekend when Reading welcome sixth-place Watford to the Madejski Stadium.