READING hockey officials are planning to consult coaches, players and parents before making new appointments they hope will reshape the club’s future.

The men’s first team require a new head coach and manager, while the women also need a manager.

Player-coach Andy Watts and Chris Davey are stepping down from the Premier Division side, and their last appearances in their respective roles at Sonning Lane will be this Sunday when Reading host Brooklands MU in the National Cup semi-finals.

As well as Watts, Jonty Clarke will be playing his final home game before retiring and another of the club’s long-serving players, Rick Mantell, is also seriously considering ending his playing career at the top level.

Hopefully, they will all sign off on a winning note, just as Reading Women’s team manager Liz Spencer did last Saturday when the Blues beat Slough 1-0 to record their first win of the outdoor season.

Spencer is staying on as the club’s vice-chairman and so will be part of those responsible for making the new appointments.

She said: “In the next week or two we will be having an open, honest chat with players, managers and coaches and probably a few parents to discuss how we go forward.”

It is an extremely important time for the club.

While one step away from the cup final, the men have been stuck in the bottom half of the table this year without ever looking strong challengers for the play-offs.

The women occupied bottom spot in the Investec League’s Premier Division for the duration of the campaign and will be relegated to one of the Conference divisions.

The cash-hit club’s general lack of success is largely down to the loss of quality players, most of them internationals, brought about by their reluctance to pay players.

A similar stance by Reading’s cricket section proved costly for them last year with relegation from Division One of the Home Counties Premier League.

That was followed by the departure of several players and has left team manager Jeff Jones with considerable selection problems ahead of the new Division Two campaign commencing on May 6.