Bristol City Sign Hodgson
Editor’s Note
Roy Hodgson’s appointment at Bristol City marks one of the most remarkable comebacks in English football. At 78 years old, the former England manager returns to the dugout after 25 months away from the game, taking charge of the Championship club where his English managerial career briefly stalled over four decades ago. This story represents both a personal full circle and a fascinating experiment in football management.
Roy Hodgson has returned to football management at the age of 78, taking charge of Championship side Bristol City until the end of the season. The former England manager replaces Gerhard Struber, who the club sacked after he won just one of his final nine matches in all competitions.
Hodgson, who left Crystal Palace in February 2024 and appeared to have retired, will manage the Robins for the final seven games of the campaign. Bristol City currently sit 16th in the Championship, with Hodgson’s first match coming away to Charlton Athletic on Good Friday.
The appointment marks a return to the club where Hodgson’s managerial career in England briefly stalled in 1982, when he described a four-month spell as “nothing short of a disaster”. Four decades later, the club’s hierarchy believe his vast experience can help set the standards required for future success.
“I have had great conversations with the board and I am really excited by the opportunity to help until the end of the season. We will get straight to work and look for a positive performance on Good Friday.”
Roy HodgsonBristol City chief executive Charlie Boss emphasised that the appointment extends beyond short-term results. “Roy’s appointment is about more than the results of the next seven games,” Boss explained. “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.”
A Half-Century Career
Hodgson’s 50-year managerial career spans 22 different clubs across eight countries and four national teams. He guided Switzerland to the 1994 World Cup last 16, led Fulham to the 2010 Europa League final, and managed England from 2012 to 2016, a tenure that included reaching the Euro 2012 quarter-finals before ending with a last-16 defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016.
His most recent role saw him complete two spells at Crystal Palace, totalling 200 games before stepping down 25 months ago. Since then, Hodgson has remained out of work, making this comeback unexpected.
Bristol City’s Rebuild
Bristol City are undergoing significant structural changes. The club are recruiting a new sporting director who will help appoint a permanent head coach once the season concludes. The club sacked Struber following a disappointing run that included an FA Cup exit to League One bottom club Port Vale and a home defeat to relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion.
The Austrian manager had also publicly expressed frustration after the January transfer window when the club sold key players Anis Mehmeti and Zak Vyner to divisional rivals Ipswich and Wrexham respectively, describing the optics as “not super sexy”. Boss thanked Struber and his assistant Bernd Krauss for their efforts over nine months in charge.
“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.”
Charlie Boss, Bristol City Chief ExecutiveThe Final Chapter?
Hodgson’s appointment makes him one of the oldest managers currently active in English football. Whether he can reignite Bristol City’s season in what may prove to be the final chapter of his half-century in football management remains to be seen.
The Robins face seven crucial fixtures to close out the season, starting with a trip to Charlton Athletic on Good Friday. For Hodgson, it represents an opportunity to end his remarkable career on his own terms, returning to the club where it all began in England all those years ago.