Reading FC Appoint Mark Bowen As Sporting Director

Reading Football Club has announced that Mark Bowen has officially been appointed to the role of Sporting Director with the Royals.

The former Welsh international full-back, who ended a long and impressive playing career with a very short spell at Madejski Stadium in December 1999, spent the end of the 2018-19 campaign helping manager José Gomes, his coaching staff and the players at Hogwood Park in their preparation for a successful end of season run-in that steered the club clear of the threat of relegation.

Bowen now returns to Reading to adopt a permanent Sporting Director position and will be responsible for all football operations at the club.

Reading FC Chief Executive, Nigel Howe, said: “Mark proved a valuable asset to the first team structure when he joined us at the end of last season and he has been working from within our first team and Academy operations at Hogwood during the last couple of months. Mr Dai, the manager and I will now lend Mark our utmost support as he embarks on this new role at Reading.”

The Neath-born left-back played top flight football for Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City, West Ham United and Charlton, during a career which also included short spells with Wigan, Reading and Japanese side Shimizu S-Pulse.

Bowen’s move into coaching began as his playing days drew to a close at Reading, initially working as a coach with the Welsh national team. On the domestic front, he earned early coaching experience at Crystal Palace and then Birmingham City – winning promotion with the Blues in 2002.

And his coaching career continued to flourish at Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham, QPR, Stoke City and Southampton – a coaching CV which spans 17 years, competing for Premier League points.

Following a successful consultancy role with the Royals towards the business end of last season, Bowen has now been officially appointed as Sporting Director and begins a brand new challenge at Reading.