List of Bristol Rovers F.C. managers

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Bristol Rovers first full-time manager, Alfred Homer. Alfred Homer.jpg
Bristol Rovers first full-time manager, Alfred Homer.

This is a list of Bristol Rovers F.C. managers since the club appointed its first full-time manager in 1899, along with the number of competitive games managed, winning percentage and titles won.

Contents

Although the club were founded in 1883, they did not appoint a full-time manager until 1899, when Alfred Homer, who was assistant secretary of Aston Villa, was appointed as manager-secretary of Bristol Rovers, a position he held for twenty-one years. On joining the Football League in 1920, the club appointed Ben Hall to the manager's post. Hall held the job for one year before handing over to Andrew Wilson, the club's first non-English manager.

The next significant manager of Bristol Rovers was Albert Prince-Cox, who introduced blue-and-white quarters as the team's kit because he believed it made the players look larger and more intimidating. He also became the first manager to win a major cup competition with the club when they won the Division 3 (South) Cup in 1935. More success followed in the 1952–53 season when Bristol Rovers' longest serving post-war manager, Bert Tann, won a league title for the first time since 1905 and won promotion for the first time ever when the club won Division 3 (South). Tann remained in charge for eighteen years from 1950 to 1968.

Don Megson was the next manager to win a major trophy, taking the Watney Cup in 1972 in only his third game in charge. Following this, only two more managers won any silverware at a national level. These were Gerry Francis, who won the Division 3 title in 1989–90, and most recently Paul Trollope, who won the League 2 play-off final in 2007. That was until the appointment of Darrell Clarke who guided Bristol Rovers to back-to-back promotions, the first in the club's history making him the most successful Bristol Rovers manager ever.

In all the club has had 35 full-time managers (excluding caretaker managers).

Managers

NameNationalityBristol Rovers careerGamesWonDrawnLost% won [lower-greek 1] HonoursNotes
Alfred Homer Flag of England.svg  England Summer 1899 – July 192065224314826137.3 Southern League champions, 3 Gloucestershire Cups
Ben Hall Flag of England.svg  England July 1920 – May 1921451971942.2-
Andrew Wilson Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland June 1921 – April 192623074649232.2 Gloucestershire Cup winner
Joe Palmer Flag of England.svg  England May 1926 – April 192913848226834.8 Gloucestershire Cup winner
David McLean Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland May 1929 – September 19305816123027.6-
Albert Prince-Cox Flag of England.svg  England October 1930 – October 19362951156711339.0 Division 3 South Cup winner, 2 Gloucestershire Cups
Percy Smith Flag of England.svg  England November 1936 – November 1937521792632.7-
Brough Fletcher Flag of England.svg  England January 1938 – January 195022780499835.23 Gloucestershire Cups
Bert Tann Flag of England.svg  England January 1950 – April 196889736921631441.1 Division 3 South champions, Gloucestershire Cups: won 5, shared 5
Fred Ford Flag of England.svg  England April 1968 – July 19697026162837.1-
Bill Dodgin Sr. Flag of England.svg  England August 1969 – July 197216372474444.2-
Don Megson Flag of England.svg  England July 1972 – November 197726991859333.8 Watney Cup winner, 2 Gloucestershire Cups, promotion to Division 2
Bobby Campbell Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland November 1977 – December 19799132194035.2-
Harold Jarman Flag of England.svg  England December 1979 – April 19802479829.2-
Terry Cooper Flag of England.svg  England April 1980 – October 19816813193619.1-
Ron Gingell (caretaker)Flag of England.svg  England October 198110100.0-
Bobby Gould Flag of England.svg  England October 1981 – May 1983
May 1985 – June 1987
19671428336.2 Gloucestershire Cup winner
David Williams Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales May 1983 – May 198510851282947.22 Gloucestershire Cups
Gerry Francis Flag of England.svg  England July 1987 – May 1991
July 2001 – December 2001
24095727339.6 Division 3 champions, 2 Gloucestershire Cups [1]
Martin Dobson Flag of England.svg  England July 1991 – October 1991121298.3-
Dennis Rofe Flag of England.svg  England October 1991 – November 19926321182433.3 Gloucestershire Cup winner
Malcolm Allison Flag of England.svg  England November 1992 – February 19931864833.3-
Steve Cross (caretaker)Flag of England.svg  England March 199330120.0-
John Ward Flag of England.svg  England March 1993 – May 1996
December 2012 – March 2014
250101707940.42 Gloucestershire Cups [2]
Ian Holloway Flag of England.svg  England June 1996 – January 200124992679036.9-
Garry Thompson Flag of England.svg  England January 2001 – May 2001 [lower-greek 2]
December 2001 – April 2002
4714102329.8- [3]
Phil Bater (caretaker)Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales April 2002
January 2004 – March 2004
141677.1- [4]
Ray Graydon Flag of England.svg  England April 2002 – January 20048122223727.2- [5]
Russell Osman
Kevan Broadhurst (joint caretakers) [lower-greek 3]
Flag of England.svg  England March 2004 – April 2004632150.0- [6] [7]
Ian Atkins Flag of England.svg  England April 2004 – September 20056821262130.9- [8]
Paul Trollope Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales September 2005 – December 20102841067110737.3 League 2 play-off winner [9]
Darren Patterson (caretaker)Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland December 2010 – January 201120020.0 [10]
Dave Penney Flag of England.svg  England January 2011 – March 20111322915.4 [11]
Stuart Campbell (caretaker)Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland March 2011 – May 20111243533.3 [12]
Paul Buckle Flag of England.svg  England May 2011 – January 201229861527.5 [13]
Mark McGhee Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland January 2012 – December 20124512122126.6 [14]
Darrell Clarke Flag of England.svg  England March 2014 – December 2018246104568642.3 Conference Premier play-off winner, promotion to League One [15]
Graham Coughlan Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland December 2018 – December 20195625181344.6 [16]
Joe Dunne (caretaker)Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland December 20191100100 [17]
Kevin Maher (caretaker)Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland December 2019
January 2020 [lower-greek 4]
10100.0 [18]
Ben Garner Flag of England.svg  England December 2019 – November 2020 [lower-greek 5] 336101718.2 [20]
Tommy Widdrington (caretaker)Flag of England.svg  England November 2020
February 2021
320166.6
Paul Tisdale Flag of England.svg  England November 2020 – February 202119531126.3 [21]
Joey Barton Flag of England.svg  England February 2021 – October 202314353306037.1Promotion to League One [22]
Andy Mangan (caretaker)Flag of England.svg  England October 2023 – November 2023742157.1
Matt Taylor Flag of England.svg  England November 2023 – Present301141436.6

Notes

  1. Win percentage is rounded to one decimal place
  2. Garry Thompson was caretaker manager for his first spell in charge
  3. Russell Osman and Kevan Broadhurst were appointed joint caretaker managers at the end of the 2003–04 season
  4. Kevin Maher was caretaker manager for one game before the appointment of Ben Garner, then again when Garner was granted compassionate leave
  5. Ben Garner was away on compassionate leave from 12 to 22 January 2020 due to a family illness. [19]

Records

Most games managed

As of 8 February 2024

ManagerGamesYears
1 Flag of England.svg Bert Tann 8971950-1968
2 Flag of England.svg Alfred Homer 6521899-1920
3 Flag of England.svg Albert Prince-Cox 2951930-1936
4 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Paul Trollope 2842005-2010
5 Flag of England.svg Don Megson 2691972-1977
6 Flag of England.svg John Ward 2501993-1996, 2012–2014
7 Flag of England.svg Ian Holloway 2491996-2001
8 Flag of England.svg Darrell Clarke 2462014-2018
9 Flag of England.svg Gerry Francis 2401987-1991, 2001
10 Flag of Scotland.svg Andrew Wilson 2301921-1926
11 Flag of England.svg Brough Fletcher 2271938-1950
12 Flag of England.svg Bobby Gould 1961981-1983, 1985–1987
13 Flag of England.svg Bill Dodgin Sr. 1631969-1972
14 Flag of England.svg Joey Barton 1432021-2023
15 Flag of England.svg Joe Palmer 1381926-1929
16 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg David Williams 1081983-1985

Most Wins

As of Information correct as of8 February 2024

WinsGamesYears
1 Flag of England.svg Bert Tann 3698971950-1968
2 Flag of England.svg Alfred Homer 2436521899-1920
3 Flag of England.svg Albert Prince-Cox 1152951930-1936
4 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Paul Trollope 1062842005-2010
5 Flag of England.svg Darrell Clarke 1042462014-2018
6 Flag of England.svg John Ward 1012501993-1996, 2012–2014

Highest win percentages

ManagerWin%GamesYears
1 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg David Williams 47.21081983-1985
2 Flag of Ireland.svg Graham Coughlan 44.6562018-2019
3 Flag of England.svg Bill Dodgin Sr. 44.21631969-1972
4 Flag of England.svg Darrell Clarke 42.32462014-2018
5 Flag of England.svg Ben Hall 42.2451920-1921

Promotions

ManagerPromotionsYears
1 Flag of England.svg Darrell Clarke 22015, 2016
2 Flag of England.svg Bert Tann 11953
Flag of England.svg Don Megson 1974
Flag of England.svg Gerry Francis 1990
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Paul Trollope 2007
Flag of England.svg Joey Barton 2022

Nationalities

CountryManagers
1 Flag of England.svg England 29
2 Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland 4
3 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Wales 2
4 Flag of Ireland.svg Republic of Ireland 1

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References

  1. "Gerry Francis's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  2. "John Ward's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  3. "Garry Thompson's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  4. "Phil Bater's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  5. "Ray Graydon's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 20 January 2005. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  6. "Russell Osman's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  7. "Kevan Broadhurst's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  8. "Ian Atkins's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  9. "Paul Trollope's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 11 October 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  10. "Darren Patterson's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 15 December 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  11. "Dave Penney's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
  12. bbc sport 07.05.11
  13. bbc sport 05.01.12
  14. "Mark McGhee's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  15. "Darrell Clarke's managerial career". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 4 June 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  16. "Graham Coughlan". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 17 December 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  17. "Joe Dunne". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 20 February 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  18. "Kevin Maher". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  19. "Bristol Rovers: Ben Garner granted extended leave as manager over family matter". BBC Sport. 12 January 2020. Archived from the original on 14 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  20. "Ben Garner". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  21. "Paul Tisdale". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  22. "Joey Barton". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2021.

Bibliography