Couhig 'frustrated' with Reading's poor start

Reading owner Rob Couhig has said he feels "a little level of frustration" with their poor start to the League One season.

A win against Northampton Town last night lifted them out of the relegation zone after a run of four winless matches.

Five defeats and five draws accompany three wins this season and manager Noel Hunt has come under some pressure to deliver results.

"Everyone's a little anxious," Couhig told BBC South Today before Tuesday night's match.

"We're 25% of the way through the season, there are things we wish we were doing better on the pitch but there's a little level of frustration.

"The club is so close to really producing but of course you can only say that for so long."

Couhig completed his purchase of Reading back in May as he agreed to take over from controversial previous owner Dai Yongge.

Former Reading player Hunt has been in charge since December 2024 when he took over from the departing Ruben Selles.

Couhig opted to keep Hunt as boss and has backed his man throughout his time at the SCL.

But with a tough start to the season, the Reading owner admitted people inside the club including himself had to have some honest discussions.

"If I fault anybody, I fault myself and it will be a shock to some people that I haven't been ruthless enough," Couhig said.

"We're in a performance-based business and we can talk about all the good games in the world that you want but I looked at the table and there's no column that says 'nice game'.

"You win, you lose or you draw. We're having some heart-to-hearts with ourselves about what's going on.

"The thing I feel best about is there's no finger-pointing, we're all in it together and we all still have confidence in our ability to make this thing work."

The Reading role was Hunt's first full and permanent managerial position, with him signing a two-and-a-half-year deal in December last year.

He had previously had a short spell as caretaker of Reading and also coached their academy sides.

Away from Berkshire, he spent time at Swindon Town as caretaker and assistant boss of the Robins.

After a tough opening 13 games, some fans are starting to demand an upturn in results as they look to build on last season's seventh-place finish.

Couhig admitted if he has to make a decision on the manager, he would not be afraid to do so.

"I think my reputation is I'm slow to change on these things - but it is the nature of the business, as he [Hunt] told me," Couhig said.

"So if the time would have come when we wanted to change out our players in January, we'll change them out.

"But we're not going to go around advertising the fact that we're unhappy with so-and-so. Similarly, if the time ever comes when we have to change out our manager, we'll make the change."

It's starting to come together - Hunt

Victory against Northampton Town last night lifted Reading out of the relegation zone

Royals boss Hunt is starting to see the positives in his side's performances after a narrow defeat by league leaders Cardiff followed by a win against Northampton Town.

On Tuesday night, Reading beat the Cobblers and kept a clean sheet with a victory that lifted them up to 16th in the table.

"It's a big win and a win that's been coming," Hunt told BBC Radio Berkshire

"The performances over the past few weeks have been worthy of wins and we haven't quite got there. Tonight we showed a real resilience and steel.

"We don't want to be where we are and have been in the table. We're ambitious and we want to be in and around the play-off area.

"We want to climb the table as fast as we can. It's going to take hard work and a grind but I think it is all starting to come together."