Former Birmingham City assistant manager Mark Bowen is back in the Championship.
The 55-year-old, who spent three years as Steve Bruce’s No. 2, has returned in a senior position at rivals Reading.
Bowen, who also played 41 times for Wales, has been made Sporting Director with the Royals - returning to the club where he was a consultant towards the end of last season.
He will work alongside Reading owner Dai Yongge, chief executive Nigel Howe and manager Jose Gomes.
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Reading confirmed the news on their official website: “We are delighted that Bowen returns to Reading to adopt a permanent Sporting Director position and will now be responsible for all football operations at the club.
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.”
Bowen was Bruce’s assistant when Blues won promotion to the Premiership in 2002. He was part of the staff that saw the club stabilise in the top flight too.
However, in June 2004 he surprisingly quit to take a role with the Welsh national team. Since then he has spent the last few years working with Mark Hughes - most recently at Southampton.
