Former coach secures first permanent role in Championship since Reading redundancy

Queen's Park Rangers have appointed former Reading assistant manager Andrew Sparkes as the new Head of Goalkeeping.

Sparkes, who arrived in Berkshire alongside Ruben Selles and Tobias Loveland last summer, was made redundant in January alongside veteran Eddie Niedzwiecki to due 'ongoing financial challenges.'

Welshman Sparkes, who had spent seven years in the Red Bull set-up with New York and Salzburg,  joined QPR on a short-term basis as a Goalkeeping Coach in January.

His new role, which has been created this summer at Loftus Road, will see him 'lead on the development and monitoring of the club’s goalkeepers and goalkeeper coaching staff across the first team, development squad, youth team and Women’s team.'

Sparkes told the QPR website: “I’m delighted to join QPR on a full-time basis as Head of Goalkeeping.

“I really enjoyed my time at the club during the last part of the '23/24 season and it was great to play a part in the team’s turnaround to have a positive finish to the campaign.

“It’s a really exciting role for me, working across the whole club to ensure alignment from the Academy into the first team, working with all the goalkeepers and goalkeeper coaches to create a pathway for our talented goalkeepers to thrive within the football club.”