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Reading have sacked four of their coaching staff today, including long-serving goalkeeping coach Sal Bibbo.

Kitman Selby Armstrong has also left the club, as has head physio Luke Anthony and soft tissue therapist Dan Buchanan.

The departures are part of a major shake-up by Steve Clarke, coming just 24 hours after it was announced that nine players were being released .

And while most were expecting a summer of change at Madejski Stadium, it’s the dismissal of Bibbo which will come as a major shock.

Having played for the club between 1996-98, he began a part-time roll as goalkeeping coach following his retirement before taking the job on a full-time basis in 2006.

Since then he has overseen the development of current No.1 Adam Federici, who has just been named player of the season, and Alex McCarthy, who went on to represent England before being sold to Queens Park Rangers last summer.

He’s a hugely popular figure behind the scenes and has a very close relationship with Federici, who is currently in contract talks with the club.