Mike Ashley, the former owner of Newcastle United, is allegedly thinking about making a comeback to football at Reading Football Club.

Journalist Alan Nixon of the Sun says that should the Frasers Group tycoon successfully execute a takeover, he may also try to name former Magpies manager Alan Pardew at Reading.

Ahead of Reading’s loss to Portsmouth on Saturday, thousands of supporters marched in protest against the club’s owner, Dai Yongge, who is attempting to sell the team after a six-year tenure.

Pardew worked under Mike Ashley for four years at Newcastle and is leading candidate to get Reading job.

The 62-year-old left England in 2018 and had stints at ADO Den Haag as a manager and as a technical director at CSKA Sofia.

Recently Pardew was managing Greek side Aris Thessaloniki but left the club early in 2023.