Charlie Adam, who ended his successful EFL career with Reading in 2019/20, is set to make his first return to Berkshire after his Fleetwood Town side were drawn against the Royals in the FA Cup.

A Scotland international who enjoyed a long career in the Premier League, the 38-year-old scored twice in 27 appearances for the Royals before moving to boyhood club Dundee to see out his career.

Making his first steps into management with Fleetwood last year, Adam was unable to keep the Cod Army in the third tier but earned a dramatic point against Reading at Highbury Stadium in February, drawing 1-1.

Following the news, take a look below at four other previous Reading players to return to RG2 as opposing managers.

Mark McGhee

Perhaps the most iconic example of this, McGhee ended his dazzling playing career with a player-manager role at Elm Park.

Racking up nearly 50 appearances on the field, the Scotland international is best remembered for leading the club into the second tier as manager in 1994 and very nearly taking the club into the Premiership before controversially opting to join Leicester City in 1995.

A regular against the Royals in the following decade, it made for a terrific atmosphere and Reading often came out on top when facing McGhee's Wolves, Brighton and Millwall sides.

(Image: ©Jason Dawson)

Phil Parkinson

A former teammate of McGhee's before becoming his captain as manager, 'Parky' made over 400 appearances for Reading between 1992 and 2003.

As a boss he has gone on to make a real name for himself, famously leading League Two Bradford City to a League Cup final in 2013 and FA Cup quarter-final, against Reading, in 2015.

Now at the helm of Wrexham, the former midfield general is searching for a historic third successive promotion as the Welsh outfit look to rise from National League to the Championship under the ownership of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhenny.

Liam Rosenior

Full-back Rosenior played nearly 70 times for Reading between 2007 and 2010 in a long and successful EFL career with the likes of Hull City and Brighton.

Moving into coaching with Derby County, the 40-year-old has made just one return to Berkshire as a manager as Hull City drew 1-1 in March 2023.

Reading were relegated two months later and Rosenior was sacked at the MKM Stadium over the summer after failing to reach the play-offs.

Still a young and promising coach, the defender is now in France with Strasbourg.

Mark Robins

Robins made five appearances for Reading in 1997 on loan from Manchester United and went on to enjoy a long playing career which included stints in Denmark and Greece.

However, it is perhaps as manager, and most prominently his association with Coventry City, that he is best known.

Returning to the Sky Blues in 2017, after a stint in 2012/13, the former striker has taken the club from League Two into the Championship and the 1987 FA Cup winners narrowly missed out on a return to the Premier League on penalties.

The third-longest-serving manager in the professional pyramid, Robins has returned to Berkshire with Barnsley and Coventry.