Former Reading coach Colin Lee admitted that his controversial exit in 1994 has 'stuck with him for his entire life.'

Arriving in 1991, Lee was Mark McGhee's right-hand man during the glorious period in the mid-1990s when the Royals went from the third tier to the brink of the Premier League.

However, their reputations remain tarnished among some supporters for their controversial move to Leicester City midway through the 1994/95 campaign.

Speaking on the popular 1871 podcast, co-hosted by Lee's former Reading defender Dylan Kerr, the former Chelsea and Tottenham star went through the exit.

"I left the training ground, and we knew something was bubbling, and was basically told we were staying. Early the following morning I had this call to say that we’re off, and I went ‘what do you mean we’re off,'" he said.

"It happened in a split second. It was like everything had been sorted, the Leicester City chairman had spoken, so we went up to Leicester City. The contracts were more or less ready but they got us to sign a pre-contract. Then I got a call from Reading Football Club- one of the directors- asking me if I can come back down talk to them about becoming the manager. I said I’d like to do that, but I said I’d signed a piece of paper. He said said ‘could you get a copy of that over to me’ and I think I did that. He came back and said, ‘I’m sorry I can’t do anything about that- you’re now signed for Leicester City.’

"What went on behind-the-scenes with the chairman of Leicester and John Madejski, I don’t know. It was like some kind of dream, or nightmare, whatever you want to call it. It would never happen today, and really it shouldn’t have happened then. I’m not saying this because we’re on the 1871 podcast, it’s something that’s stuck with me for my entire life because it should have been done differently.

"The chairmen should have sorted it out between themselves and if a deal couldn’t be done then it shouldn’t have been done. I think things went on behind-the-scenes that I wasn’t aware of and I was Mark’s [McGhee] second in command and that’s the way it was. I’m not blaming Mark.

"I regret I did it that way. It prevented me discussing and having a chance to become Reading manager."