List of Northampton Town F.C. managers

Northampton Town Football Club is an English association football club based in Northampton, England. The club was founded on 6 March 1897 by a group of local school teachers who got together with the local solicitor A.J "Pat" Darnell at The Princess Royal Inn, Wellingborough Road to form the town's first professional football club. Their initially chosen name was Northampton Football Club, but after objections from the town's rugby club, the club was called Northampton Town Football Club. ^[1]

Northampton Town have had 35 managers appointed to the role on a permanent basis and a further four have taken the position in a caretaker role. The vast majority have been English. In 2017, former Dutch player Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink became the first person from outside the British Isles to manage the club. A majority of the managerial changes have taken place in recent years including fifteen between 2001 and 2021.

Dave Bowen is the club's most successful manager so far, taking the club to the First Division for the only time. Herbert Chapman was in charge during the Cobblers's crown of the Southern Football League in 1908–09 and also the runners-up spot in the Charity Shield that proceeded the title.

List of managers

As of 14 December 2024 ^[update]

Name	Nationality	From	To	P	W	D	L	Win %	Honours	Notes	Ref
Herbert Chapman	England	1907-04April 1907	1912-05May 1912	212	106	44	62	50%	Southern League winners: 1908–09 Charity Shield runners-up: 1909–10 Southern League runners-up: 1910–11	† [2]
Walter Bull	England	1912-05May 1912	1912-12December 1912	39	12	12	15	30.7%
Fred Lessons	England	1913-08August 1913	1915-05May 1915	76	30	30	16	39.4%
Bob Hewison	England	1920-05 May 1920	1925-04 April 1925	226	89	51	86	39.3%			[3]
Jack Tresadern	England	1925-05 May 1925	1930-10 October 1930	235	108	78	49	45.9%			[4]
Jack English	England	1931-02 February 1931	1935-03 March 1935	193	76	43	74	39.3%			[5]
Syd Puddefoot	England	1935-03 March 1935	1937-03 March 1937	98	43	16	39	43.8%			[6]
Warney Cresswell	England	1937-03 March 1937	1939-09 September 1939	94	34	19	41	36.2%			[7]
Tom Smith	England	1939-09 September 1939	1949-03 March 1949	131	45	32	53	34.3%			[8]
Bob Dennison	England	1949-03 March 1949	1954-07 July 1954	254	108	59	87	42.5%			[9]
Dave Smith	England	1954-07 July 1954	1959-07 July 1959	241	103	39	99	42.7%			[10] [11]
Dave Bowen	Wales	1959-07 July 1959	1967-09 September 1967	387	165	89	133	42.6%	Division Four promotion: 1960–61 Division Three champions: 1962–63 Division Two runners-up: 1964–65		[12]
Jack Jennings (interim)	England	1963-07 July 1963	1963-09 September 1963	3	3	0	0	100%		† [13]
Tony Marchi	England	1967-09 September 1967	1968-05 May 1968	48	15	14	19	31.2%			[14]
Ron Flowers	England	1968-05 May 1968	1969-05 May 1969	52	16	13	23	30.7%			[15]
Dave Bowen	Wales	1969-05 May 1969	1972-05 May 1972	161	54	48	59	33.5%			[16]
Billy Baxter	Scotland	1972-10 October 1972	1973-05 May 1973	48	10	11	27	20.8%			[17]
Bill Dodgin Jr.	England	1973-06 June 1973	1976-06 June 1976	150	67	37	46	44.6%	Division Four runners-up: 1975–76		[18]
Pat Crerand	Scotland	1976-09 September 1976	1977-01 January 1977	25	5	4	16	20%			[19]
Committee		1977-01 January 1977	1977-07 July 1977	25	9	4	12	36%		† [20]
John Petts	England	1977-09 September 1977	1978-01 January 1978	57	19	10	28	33.3%			[21]
Dave Bowen (caretaker)	Wales	1978-01 January 1978	1978-02 February 1978	6	3	1	2	50%			[22]
Mike Keen	England	1978-02 February 1978	1979-03 March 1979	53	17	15	21	32%			[23]
Clive Walker	England	1979-05 May 1979	1980-10 October 1980	61	21	14	26	34.4%			[24]
Bill Dodgin Jr.	England	1980-10 October 1980	1982-02 February 1982	70	22	18	30	31.4%			[25]
Clive Walker	England	1982-05 May 1982	1984-05 May 1984	108	30	33	45	27.7%			[26]
Tony Barton	England	1984-07 July 1984	1985-04 April 1985	49	11	8	30	22.4%			[27]
Graham Carr	England	1985-04 April 1985	1990-05 May 1990	278	114	68	99	41%	Division Four champions: 1986–87		[28]
Theo Foley	Ireland	1990-05 May 1990	1992-04 April 1992	97	32	29	36	32.9%			[29]
Phil Chard	England	1992-04 April 1992	1993-09 September 1993	59	17	9	33	28.8%			[30]
John Barnwell	England	1993-09 September 1993	1994-12 December 1994	22	7	6	9	31.8%			[31]
Ian Atkins	England	1995-01 January 1995	1999-10 October 1999	254	93	72	89	36.6%	Division Three play-off winners: 1996–97		[32]
Kevin Wilson Kevan Broadhurst (caretakers)	England	1999-10 October 1999		5	2	1	2	40%			[33] [34]
Kevin Wilson	England	1999-10 October 1999	2001-09 September 2001	102	42	19	41	41.1%	Division Three promotion: 1999–2000		[35]
Kevan Broadhurst	England	2001-09 September 2001	2003-01 January 2003	72	24	13	35	33.3%			[36]
Terry Fenwick	England	2003-01 January 2003	2003-02 February 2003	7	0	2	5	0%			[37]
Martin Wilkinson	England	2003-02 February 2003	2003-09 September 2003	25	7	3	15	28%		† [38]	[39]
Richard Hill (caretaker)	England	2003-09 September 2003	2003-10 October 2003	2	0	1	1	0%			[40]
Colin Calderwood	Scotland	2003-10 October 2003	2006-05 May 2006	153	73	40	40	47.7%	League Two runners-up: 2005–06		[41]
John Gorman	Scotland	2006-06 June 2006	2006-12 December 2006	27	6	11	10	22.2%			[42]
Ian Sampson Jim Barron (caretakers)	England	2006-12 December 2006	2007-01 January 2007	4	1	1	2	25%			[43] [44]
Stuart Gray	England	2007-01 January 2007	2009-09 September 2009	134	44	38	52	32.8%			[45]
Ian Sampson	England	2009-09 September 2009	2011-03 March 2011	84	29	27	28	34.5%		† [46]	[47]
Gary Johnson	England	2011-03 March 2011	2011-11 November 2011	34	7	10	17	20.5%			[48]
David Lee (caretaker)	England	2017-11 November 2011		1	0	0	1	0%			[49]
Tim Flowers (caretaker)	England	2017-11 November 2011		1	0	0	1	0%			[50]
Aidy Boothroyd	England	2011-11 November 2011	2013-12 December 2013	108	39	26	43	36.1%			[51]
Andy King (caretaker)	England	2013-12 December 2013	2014-01 January 2014	5	1	1	3	20%			[52]
Chris Wilder	England	2014-01 January 2014	2016-05 May 2016	126	61	28	37	48.4%	League Two champions: 2015–16		[53]
Rob Page	Wales	2016-05 May 2016	2017-01 January 2017	34	10	8	16	29.4%			[54]
Paul Wilkinson (caretaker)	England	2017-01 January 2017		1	0	0	1	0%
Justin Edinburgh	England	2017-01 January 2017	2017-08 August 2017	25	6	6	13	24%			[55]
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	Netherlands	2017-09 September 2017	2018-04 April 2018	42	10	13	19	23.8%			[56]
Dean Austin	England	2018-04 April 2018	2018-09 September 2018	17	3	6	8	17.6%		† [57]	[58]
Keith Curle	England	2018-10 October 2018	2021-02 February 2021	125	47	32	46	37.6%	League Two play-off winners: 2019–20		[59]
Jon Brady	Australia	2021-02 February 2021	2024-12 December 2024	200	75	50	75	37.5%	League Two promotion: 2022–23	† [60]	[61]
Ian Sampson (caretaker)	England	2024-12 December 2024		2	1	0	1	50%			[62]

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; L = Matches lost; D = Matches drawn; Won % = Percentage of matches played that resulted in a win

Footnotes and references

1. "Club History". Northampton Town FC. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
2. First full-time manager.
3. Bob Hewison's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
4. Jack Tresadern's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
5. Jack English's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
6. Syd Puddlefoot's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
7. Warney Cresswell's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
8. Tom Smith's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
9. Bob Dennison's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
10. "Obituary: Dave Smith". The Independent . 27 January 1998. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
11. Dave Smith's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
12. Dave Bowen's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
13. Jennings took over from Dave Bowen on a temporary basis, who had stated that he'd taken the club as far as he could. He reverted his decision 3 games into the 1963–64 season.
14. Tony Marchi's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
15. Ron Flowers' managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
16. Dave Bowen's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
17. Billy Baxter's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
18. Bill Dodgin Jnr's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
19. Pat Crerand's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
20. Following the resignation of Pat Crerand, Chairman Neville Ronson announced a committee would be set up, consisting of himself, the coach and three senior players.
21. John Petts' managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
22. Dave Bowen' managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
23. Mike Keen's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
24. Clive Walker's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
25. Bill Dodgin Jnr's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
26. Clive Walker's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
27. Tony Barton's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
28. Graham Carr's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
29. Theo Foley's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
30. Phil Chard's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
31. John Barnwell's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
32. Ian Atkins's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
33. Kevin Wilson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
34. Kevan Broadhurst's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
35. Kevin Wilson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
36. Kevan Broadhurst's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
37. Terry Fenwick's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
38. Wilkinson initially took over as caretaker manager.
39. Martin Wilkinson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
40. Richard Hill's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
41. Colin Calderwood's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
42. John Gorman's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
43. Jim Barron's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
44. Ian Sampson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
45. Stuart Gray's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
46. Sampson initially took over as caretaker on September 8, before being officially appointed as manager on October 5, 2009. Record as caretaker P5 W1 D2 L2. Win% 20%.
47. Ian Sampson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
48. Gary Johnson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
49. David Lee's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
50. Tim Flowers' managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
51. Aidy Boothroyd's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
52. Andy King's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
53. Chris Wilder's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
54. Rob Page's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
55. Justin Edinburgh's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
56. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
57. Austin initially took over as caretaker before being officially appointed as manager at the end of the 2017–18 season. Record as caretaker P5 W2 D1 L2. Win% 40%.
58. Dean Austin's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
59. Keith Curle's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
60. Brady initially took over as caretaker before being officially appointed as manager before the final game of the 2020–21 season. Record as caretaker P19 W5 D5 L9. Win% 26.3%.
61. Jon Brady's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
62. Ian Sampson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 December 2024.

External links

• Managerial History for Northampton Town Soccerbase