March 30 – The oldest swinger in town is back. Roy Hodgson turns 50 years in management this year, and to mark the occasion, he’s taking charge of Bristol City for the final seven games of the Championship season.
The 78-year-old left Crystal Palace in February 2024, and football assumed that was that. A career begun at Halmstad, Sweden, in 1976 had run its course. It hadn’t.
Incredibly, Bristol City was his first English club. He was sacked by them in 1980. He has returned 44 years later to replace the dismissed Gerhard Struber. The gap between his first spell and this one spanned entire managerial careers, entire generations of players and fans. When Hodgson left Ashton Gate the first time, the Championship didn’t exist. Neither did the Premier League.
Now he walks back in to rescue a club sitting 16th, with an angry fanbase and seven games to salvage something from a season that promised a play-off push.
He is not alone in this peculiar compulsion. Martin O’Neill, 74, is in his second stint of this season at Celtic. Neil Warnock, 77, returned to Torquay. Harry Redknapp, 79, has reportedly signalled his willingness to go back to Spurs.
For Bristol City, Hodgson’s return is a steadying measure while they appoint a sporting director and identify their next permanent head coach. CEO Charlie Boss needs the temperature lowered amongst critics. Hodgson has spent 50 years lowering temperatures.
The first time around, he inherited a financial crisis. This time, it’s a club adrift and a fanbase losing patience.
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