Former Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is set to return to the managerial dug-out at Championship club Bristol City, after a remarkable 767-day absence.
The 78-year-old has been appointed as the manager of Championship side Bristol City, ending a remarkable 767-day absence from the game.
Now, in 2026, the 78-year-old has taken charge of a staggering 1000 games across a managerial career that has spanned many decades, with the Croydon-born head coach even taking charge of the England national team, alongside a brief spell at Anfield.
The Croydon-born tactician, who began his coaching journey in 1976, now reaches a historic milestone in 2026: his career has spanned five decades, involving 22 teams across eight different countries.
Upon taking charge of his first game with the Robins, Hodgson will officially surpass Neil Warnock as the oldest-serving manager in EFL Championship/Division One history.
A Homecoming at Ashton Gate
For Hodgson, this appointment is a poetic return to where his English managerial journey first took flight. After a successful period at Swedish club Halmstad, Hodgson’s storied career in England began at Ashton Gate in 1982.
Now returning to stabilise the club, Hodgson expressed his enthusiasm for the challenge ahead:
“I have had great conversations with the board and I am really excited by the opportunity to help until the end of the season,” he said. “We will get straight to work and look for a positive performance [against Charlton] on Good Friday.”
Hodgson replaces Gerhard Struber, whose tenure soured following a frustrating January transfer window. Struber had publicly voiced his disappointment after the club sold key assets Anis Mehmeti and Zak Vyner to divisional rivals Ipswich and Wrexham.
The Austrian’s departure, alongside assistant Bernd Eibler, comes after a dismal run of form where City won only one of their final nine matches. This period included a humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of League One’s bottom club, Port Vale. Struber’s final game was a home defeat to relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion.
Restructuring for the Future
The appointment of Hodgson is part of a broader shake-up at Bristol City. Chief executive Charlie Boss emphasised that the veteran’s arrival is about cultural transformation as much as immediate results:
“Roy’s appointment is about more than the results of the next seven games. Over the remainder of the season, he will help us set the standards and values at the club that we will need to be successful. Roy is a vastly experienced coach who has won at the highest level. He will support me, our players and our football staff as we build towards achieving our potential.”
In tandem with Hodgson’s arrival, the club announced that long-standing technical director Brian Tinnion has been relieved of first-team duties to focus on the academy pathway.
The club are currently recruiting a new sporting director to lead the search for a permanent head coach to take the reins once Hodgson’s short-term stint concludes.
While his subsequent spell at Liverpool was less successful, Hodgson’s longevity is unmatched. After becoming the Premier League’s oldest manager at 76 in 2024, his latest move to Bristol City cements his status as one of football’s most enduring figures.
