England Manager Astonishes with Return to Management at 78
Roy Hodgson, 78, will take temporary charge of Bristol City for the final seven matches of the 2025/26 season. He has been unemployed since leaving Crystal Palace more than two years ago.
Bristol City appointment
Filmogaz.com first reported the change of manager at Ashton Gate. The club dismissed Gerhard Struber before announcing Hodgson’s arrival.
Bristol City sit 16th in the Championship. They have lost six of their last eight matches in all competitions.
The run included a surprise FA Cup defeat to League One side Port Vale. The Robins now turn to Hodgson to steady the team.
Hodgson’s long coaching record
- Coaching career spans five decades. He has managed 22 teams across eight countries.
- He began coaching in Sweden at 29. He helped popularise the 4-4-2 system and zonal marking there.
- With Halmstads he won league titles in 1976 and 1979.
- At Malmö he enjoyed five consecutive league titles and two Swedish Cups in the 1980s.
- He led Switzerland to third in the FIFA world rankings, which led to an Inter Milan post.
- At Inter he won the UEFA Cup. He also won the Danish Superliga at FC København in one season.
- Back in England he saved Fulham from relegation and later finished seventh, reaching the Europa League final in 2010.
- He had a brief, less successful spell at Liverpool. He then became England manager in 2012.
- He led England at Euro 2012, the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016. The latter campaign ended with a shock defeat to Iceland.
- Later roles included Watford and two spells at Crystal Palace. In 2024 he became the Premier League’s oldest-serving manager at 76.
Records and milestones
Once he takes the Bristol City dugout, Hodgson will surpass Neil Warnock. He will become the oldest manager in EFL Championship or Division One history.
Club vision and next steps
Bristol City’s chief executive, Charlie Boss, said the appointment is about more than short-term results. The focus will be on standards, values and preparation for the future.
The club plans to appoint a Sporting Director. That director will have a role in choosing the next permanent head coach.
The former England manager has astonished supporters with a return to management at age 78. His brief spell will aim to steady Bristol City and help shape longer-term plans.
