Leam Richardson has moved quickly to bat away speculation linking him with the vacant manager's role at Bradford City, saying flatly that no contact has been made between himself and the Bantams and that he will be in the Reading dugout on Saturday when the two clubs meet at the SCL Stadium.

Where the rumour came from

The talk was hardly plucked from nowhere. Richardson managed Wigan Athletic at a time when Bradford's current sporting director David Sharpe was chairman at the Latics. Several players now on Bradford's books, among them Nick Powell, Callum Connolly and Stephen Humphrys, worked under Richardson at previous clubs. Add in that he has a northern background and the bookmakers, apparently in want of something more solid to go on, made him an early favourite to succeed Graham Alexander.

Richardson was having none of it. "I'm certain that I'll be in the Reading dugout this weekend," he told BBC Radio Berkshire. When pressed on whether Bradford had been in touch, his answer was a single syllable: "Nope."

He was, at least, willing to take it as a kind of compliment. "It's always really pleasant when you see interest from other teams around the country," he said. "It means the players are doing a fantastic job." He also acknowledged the logic people had applied: "I think the talk comes from the common sense of them being a northern team and that I've worked with a lot of the players that are there." Faint praise for the rumour mill, but praise nonetheless.

Where Richardson actually stands at Reading

Richardson has been at Reading for just under a year, brought in during late October 2025 to replace Noel Hunt part-way through the previous campaign. He steadied a club that had endured a turbulent period and guided them to a 12th-placed finish. This term they sit ninth after seven League One matches, one point outside the play-off positions. That is not a platform from which most managers would be rushing to field calls from elsewhere, and Richardson gave no indication that he was.

Before Reading he managed Wigan and Rotherham, so he knows the third tier well enough. A 12th-placed finish in his first half-season followed by a genuine top-six push would represent solid progress, and it is the kind of steady accumulation that makes a manager attractive to other clubs. The fact that Bradford came calling, even informally and even if Richardson says they did not, is a sign of that.

What it means for both clubs

For Bradford, the public denial at least narrows the field slightly, even if it does not close any doors. The Bantams are working through what sporting director Trueman has called a "unique" search following Alexander's departure for Preston. Richardson's swift dismissal of the links will likely draw a line under this particular thread, though the vacancy remains open and the speculation around it will not quieten until someone is appointed.

For Reading, a ninth-place berth with games still to play in the early weeks of the season is a reasonable position, though the side has a stated ambition to push higher. Saturday's visit from Bradford, a club with their own managerial uncertainty, carries an odd subplot given the week's noise. Richardson will presumably be glad to let the football do the talking.

He has previous at clubs where expectation and reality have not always aligned neatly. At Reading, a fanbase that has grown accustomed to upheaval will be quietly relieved that their manager is focused on the next fixture rather than the next opportunity.

Frequently asked

Is Leam Richardson leaving Reading for Bradford City?
No. Richardson has publicly denied any approach from Bradford City and confirmed he will be Reading's manager for their match against Bradford this Saturday.
Why was Richardson linked with the Bradford City manager's job?
Richardson has past connections with several Bradford players and with the club's sporting director David Sharpe, who was chairman at Wigan during Richardson's time there. Bookmakers installed him as an early favourite, but Richardson says no contact was made.
Where are Reading in League One right now?
After seven matches of the season, Reading are ninth in League One, one point outside the play-off positions.