Reading fans trudged out of St. Andrew’s on Saturday dejected and fearful after witnessing the Royals’ biggest league defeat since 1999.

Fast forward 48 hours and Nigel Adkins was dismissed, with new boss Steve Clarke appointed on a two-and-a-half year deal less than 24 hours later.

It has been a whirlwind three days for the club but the arrival of a new manager with fresh ideas could be just what is needed to reignite the Royals’ season.

Reading sit 16th in the Championship at the moment, 10 points off the play-offs, but Clarke has set his sights on closing that gap as soon as possible whilst refusing to rule out the possibility of promotion this season.

“The ambition is to be back in the Premier League,” he said. “If we can do that this season then great but if it takes a bit more time whilst things are developing and progressing the right way then that’s fine.

“The championship is a very strange league. Reading are seven points above the relegation zone but only 10 points off the play-off places.

“We want to close the gap as soon as possible and start moving up the table.”

He added: “The potential is there in the squad. It’s a team that started the season well.

“They’ve had more difficult times recently which is why I’m sitting here but I think there’s enough in the squad.

“The current squad are the guys in possession of the shirt so all they have to do is go out and play well at the weekend, and prove they deserve to be here.

“I’ll remind the players of their duties and what we’re trying to achieve here.

“Sometimes when the pressure is on you lose sight of the long-term situation and it’s easy to start thinking doom and gloom but it’s not.

“I’ll explain we’re not far off where we are going to be because we’re not. There’s not much I can do between now and Saturday but I’ll try and get in their heads that we’re not far away.”

Clarke spent 14 years learning his trade as assistant manager at Newcastle, Liverpool, West Ham and Chelsea, before leading West Brom to their highest Premier League finish in his first managerial job.

He was dismissed — perhaps harshly — midway through the following season but Clarke is defiant in what his team will deliver to the Madejski Stadium faithful.

“They’ll see a team that’s enthusiastic, hard-working, competitive in every match and difficult to beat,” said the 51-year-old. “If you can do all that when playing fantastic football then everybody’s happy.

“Most of all, Steve Clarke teams like to win and that’s what I want to put out on to the pitch.”

Clarke will make his home bow on Saturday when the Royals welcome Watford to Madejski Stadium.

The Hornets have won their last two games and sit sixth in the table, but Clarke is hoping to make the most of the infamous positive effect a new manager can have.

“Sometimes when you make a change there can be a little bounce factor and hopefully we can get that moving forward.”