Tony Warner claims the opportunity to work in a higher division was too good to turn down after the goalkeeping coach swapped Bristol Rovers for Reading, just a year after being brought to the Gas by Joey Barton.
Warner was confirmed as part of Paul Ince's backroom staff this week, reuniting the 48-year-old with his former Liverpool teammate at Championship Reading having played an influential role in Rovers' promotion into League One. James Belshaw enjoyed the finest season of his career, under Warner's guidance, claiming the Player of the Year award after a series of integral performances across the 2022/23 campaign.
With Rovers returning for pre-season training on Monday, the timing is not ideal but Warner admits his relationship with Ince, the pull of the Championship and the "better environment" at the Royals, without going into detail on that aspect, made it a straightforward decision for him.
