Steve Clarke has been named the new Reading manager after the Sky Bet Championship club moved swiftly following the sacking of ex-Saints promotion winner Nigel Adkins.
Twelve months ago Clarke was axed by West Brom, who remain the only Barclays Premier League club the 51-year-old Scot has taken charge of on a full-time basis.
But he has now returned to management in the second tier after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Royals.
He takes over a side who are 16th in the Championship table following Saturday's 6-1 thrashing at Birmingham, a result which spelled the end of Adkins' tenure at the Madejski Stadium.
Adkins had been appointed Royals boss in March 2013, two months after his sacking by Nicola Cortese at St Mary’s.
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