Three Is A Magic Number?

As Bristol Rovers appoint Stuart Campbell as their third manager of the season, Nobes looks at how other sides who went through as many bosses during a campaign fared.

Dave Penney has been shown the exit by Bristol Rovers after two months

When Dave Penney reflects on his managerial career, it will include a tale of two Rovers. At the first, Doncaster, he established his reputation as a promising young coach.

He led Donny back into the Football League in 2003 before taking them to the League Two title a year later. He then consolidated the Yorkshire side in the third tier.

At Bristol Rovers, however, he hardly had time to get his feet under the desk. The 46-year-old took charge of just 13 matches at the Memorial Stadium as he struggled to turn around the League One outfit's fortunes.

Just two wins and nine defeats - conceding 28 goals along the way - later and the Gas had shown him the door, handing senior player Stuart Campbell the job until the end of the term.

He began his reign with a 1-0 win at Tranmere in midweek, taking the West Country outfit to within a couple of points of safety.

Not that having three different managers during the campaign is an ideal scenario. It paints a picture of instability and panic, pinning blame on one man rather than looking at collective responsibility.

Rovers are banking on their latest switch making the difference though, but what do the history books tell us about sides going through three different bosses in just one season?


Exeter City 2002/3

He now drives a milk tanker around Devon but, at the start of the 2002/3 season, John Cornforth [pictured] was in charge at Exeter.

As boss at St James Park though, he failed to deliver, and was removed from his position at the start of October.

The Grecians, just three points above the drop zone, turned to rookie Neil McNab.

However, the Scot managed just three wins from 20 games and with City rock bottom at the beginning of March he was axed.

Former Preston boss Gary Peters was drafted in for the last 13 games to try and save the Grecians.

Result: Despite collecting 20 points under Peters, City ended up 23rd, just a single point off safety, and were relegated to the Conference.



Northampton Town 2002/3

Cobblers had only narrowly avoided the drop the previous year - when they had turned to Kevan Broadhurst to replace Kevin Wilson.

However, the boot was on the other foot a season later, when Broadhurst was given the push and in came former England international Terry Fenwick [pictured].

His reign lasted just seven games though - five losses and two draws - dumping Town to a point off the bottom of League One.

Chief Scout Martin Wilkinson then assumed control for the last 13 matches of the season.

Result: Wilkinson hardly fared any better. Cobblers finished bottom of the division, a full 11 points from safety.



Macclesfield Town 2003/4

Macc began the season under the stewardship of David Moss, but after a third of the campaign found themselves only out of the drop zone on goal difference.

In came club legend and assistant boss John Askey into the top job.

However, he struggled to lift the Cheshire side out of relegation danger.

With seven games of the season remaining, and the Silkmen three points adrift of safety, he was moved back down to assist veteran manager Brian Horton [pictured].

Result: Collecting 13 points from 21, the experienced hand of Horton ensured Macc beat the drop comfortably in the end.



Millwall 2005/6

The Lions had already got through one manager before pre season had even ended.

Steve Claridge was swiftly removed after 36 days over concerns about his managerial style and the club's prospects for the season.

Ex-Wolves boss Colin Lee was drafted in, but Millwall struggled towards the bottom.

When he left just before Christmas the club were bottom of the Championship and five points from safety.

His assistant, and former Lions player, David Tuttle [pictured] then took over the reins with more than half the season to keep them up.

Result: That worrying pre-season proved correct, with Millwall finishing the season second bottom, and relegated with two games of the season still to play.



Torquay United 2006/7

Only a late great escape had saved the Gulls from relegation to the Conference in the previous campaign.

It had been engineered by Ian Atkins, who led the side into the new season.

However, a bright start soon evaporated and he was given the boot by new owner Chris Roberts with United just outside the bottom two.

Roberts hired former Czech Republic international Lubos Kubik to take over, but his disastrous reign saw the Devonians collect just a single win from 12 matches.

By the time Keith Curle [pictured] took over in February, Torquay were rock bottom and five shy of safety.

Result: Curle guided the side to two wins from 15 as they crashed to a dismal relegation to the Conference.



Leicester City 2007/8

Milan Mandaric hailed the summer appointment of Martin Allen [pictured] at the Foxes - then parted company with him after just three games.

Next up was Gary Megson, but it was roles reversed when Megson walked out on the club after just 40 days to join Bolton.

Mandaric then turned to Plymouth's Ian Holloway to bring some much needed stability.

With more than 30 games of the campaign remaining he was charged with guiding the club up the league table.

Result: Only he didn't. The goal-shy Foxes were permanently staving off the drop until, on the final day, slipping into the bottom three and being relegated.



Bournemouth 2008/9

A ten point deduction had resulted in Kevin Bond's men being relegated to League Two in 2008.

They then had the daunting prospect of beginning the season on minus 18 points.

Failure to win in their first four games saw him axed and ex-Cherries striker Jimmy Quinn being brought in to win their fight against the drop.

By the end of 2008, although back in positive numbers, they still sat seven points adrift of third bottom with half of the season remaining.

Popular former player and Quinn's assistant Eddie Howe [pictured] was thrown into a baptism of fire to keep the Dorset side up.

Result: The rest is history. The 29-year-old rookie garnered 39 points in the second half of the campaign as Bournemouth comfortably stayed up in the end.



Queens Park Rangers 2009/10

The revolving door was in full spin at Loftus Road as Rangers kept up their extraordinary managerial turnover last term.

Jim Magilton [pictured] began the campaign, with the Rs picking up after a slow start to be in contention for the play offs.

An alleged dressing room bust up saw Magilton leave and Paul Hart in as his replacement.

Hart's reign lasted just four matches though before he resigned.

Caretaker Mick Harford presided over Rangers slumping into the bottom five and were just three points above the drop zone when Neil Warnock was appointed.

Result: The outspoken Yorkshireman quickly turned things around in West London, and QPR ended up in 13th - well clear of any relegation danger.



Peterborough United 2009/10

Posh had just won back-to-back promotions into the Championship under Darren Ferguson's management.

A poor start that saw them bottom after 16 games led to the Scot being fired.

He was followed by Kettering boss Mark Cooper, [pictured] plucked from the Non Leagues.

His nightmare tenure only produced one win from 12, and he was given the push in January.

Jim Gannon was the next in the hot seat but, despite a relatively productive spell, he turned down the chance to stay on at London Road.

Result: Gannon's final game saw Peterborough condemned to relegation and Gary Johnson took over for the last four matches of the season.



Notts County 2009/10

Big-spending County were everyone's tips for the League Two title last term.

An inconsistent start saw the club's ambitious owners axe Ian McParland with the club only in the play offs.

They brought in Swede Hans Backe, [pictured] a close friend of Director of Football Sven-Goran Eriksson.

However, after a similarly erratic tenure, he was gone by the time the club's ownership fell through and a new regime turned to Steve Cotterill.

Result: Cotterill picked up the pieces, got the best squad in the division to play to their maximum, and an incredible late run took them to the predicted title.


Sheffield United 2010/11

Like Rovers, United are onto their third manager of the campaign.

The early sacking of Kevin Blackwell [pictured] was then followed by a four-month spell at the helm by Gary Speed.

When he quit for Wales though, they turned to Port Vale boss and proud Sheffielder Micky Adams.

He has struggled to turn around the club's fortunes though, and they currently look likely to be relegated to League One.

The Gas will hope to not suffer a similar fate.

Hero Takes A Fall

With Northampton Town parting ways with playing legend Ian Sampson as their manager, Nobes looks at how it worked out for others who made a similar transition at their club.

Club legend Ian Sampson had been in charge at Sixfields for just 16 months

"It's not about Sammo the legend," remarked Northampton chairman David Cardoza when explaining the difficulty of the decision to remove boss Ian Sampson from his position last week.

The Cobblers have experienced a disappointing campaign in League Two. Although expected to challenge for the top seven, new boss Gary Johnson finds his side lying well off the pace in 16th, a full 12 points off the play offs.

Sampson spent a decade serving Town as a player, making the second most appearances in a claret shirt. He then joined the club's coaching staff before replacing Stuart Gray in the top job in September 2010.

He oversaw an encouraging second half of the campaign, eventually steering Northampton to 11th, but has been unable to build on that momentum this term.

Despite a memorable League Cup victory on penalties over Liverpool, it's the bread and butter which has let Town down. Events at Anfield couldn't disguise underachievement at Sixfields.

Not that Sampson is the first, and he won't be the last, to have a go managing the club he represented with distinction as a player. Here's my look at how it turned out for a few others:


Roberto Martinez (Swansea City)

The Spaniard only spent four seasons as a player in South Wales, but became a fans' favourite for his cultured displays in midfield as captain of the Swans.

He helped guide them away from relegation to the Conference in 2003 before playing an important role in their promotion to League One in 2005.

He was controversially released by boss Kenny Jackett at the end of the next season - a move which upset many City fans.

Less than a year later he had returned to the Liberty to replace Jackett as manager and took them to the League One title in his first full season playing a brand of attractive passing football.

Consolidated them in the Championship before leaving for Wigan - arguably laying the foundations for Swansea's current push for the Premier League.


Bryan Gunn (Norwich City)

A Scot by birth, Gunn is an adopted son of Norfolk after spending more than a decade between the sticks as Norwich keeper.

He was twice voted player of the season during his time at Carrow Road, and was part of the side which, in 1993, finish 3rd in the Premier League - the club's highest ever finish.

A member of the Norwich team who upset Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup during the '90s as well as the Canaries' Hall of Fame. There's even a club at the ground named after him.

Initially was a goalkeeping coach at City before stepping up to replace Glenn Roeder as boss in January 2009. However, he was unable to stop Norwich sliding into League One at the end of the season.

He retained his post only to be removed after the first game of the new season, a 7-1 thrashing at home to Colchester.


Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)

Howe joined his local club as a youngster and spent the majority of his playing career with Bournemouth before leaving for Portsmouth in 2002.

However, he suffered an injury-hit time at Fratton Park and eventually re-joined the Cherries, initially on loan, before fans helped raise money to re-sign him permanently.

He progressed to the role of reserve team boss before taking over as caretaker manager from Jimmy Quinn with the club staring relegation to the Conference in the face.

The Football League's youngest boss engineered a great escape, despite an 18-point deduction. Then, last term, not even a transfer embargo could prevent him leading the Cherries to promotion to the third tier.

Before leaving to take over at Championship Burnley in January, Howe had taken Bournemouth into contention for back-to-back promotions.


John Askey (Macclesfield Town)

When Askey first joined the Silkmen, they were plying their trade in to the Northern Premier League. However, he helped them win the title in 1987 and gain promotion to the Conference.

During his time at the Moss Rose as a player, Macc twice won the Conference title and also secured the FA Trophy before finally reaching the Football League in 1997.

Twelve months later, Askey had again played a major role in Sammy McIlroy's side's elevation to League One as they secured successive promotions.

By the time of his final game for the club in 2003 he was assistant to boss David Moss, and stepped up to replace Moss a few months later - overseeing an improvement in results for the struggling Silkmen.

As they began to struggle again though he stepped down to assist the experienced Brian Horton as Macclesfield avoided the drop and then qualified for the play offs in 2005. Now in charge of the Town Youth Team.


Steve Tilson (Southend United)

As a player with Southend in the '90s, Tilson was part of the Shrimpers side who secured back-to-back promotions into the Championship.

After retiring as a player he joined the club's Centre of Excellence before being named caretaker manager of the first team in 2003 after the departure of Steve Wignall.

Tilson helped keep United in League Two and guided them to consecutive Football League Trophy finals, although they ended up on the losing side on both occasions.

However, in his first full season he took Southend to promotion via the play offs and a year later they had repeated his feat as a player - winning back-to-back promotions as League One winners.

He couldn't keep them in the Championship though, and eventually left the club after financial problems condemned them to relegation to League Two last season. Now at Lincoln.


Stuart McCall (Bradford City)

The Yorkshireman began his career at Bradford and during his first spell at the club was part of their third tier title winning side in 1985.

He returned to the Bantams in 1998 and captained them as they secured a place in the top flight of English football for the first time in 77 years.

They stayed there for a couple of years and, after retiring and spending time assisting Neil Warnock at Sheffield United, McCall returned to Valley Parade for a third time in 2007.

On this occasion it was as manager, with the club newly relegated to the basement division. Despite lofty expectations, he failed to guide them to the play offs in his first two seasons.

Persuaded to stay on by supporters, he eventually resigned midway through his third campaign - again with the Bantams struggling to make the top seven. Now managing at Motherwell.


Jim Gannon (Stockport County)

As player with Stockport, Gannon spent a decade helping the Hatters to two Football League Trophy finals as well as a couple of promotions.

Hugely popular with the Edgeley Park faithful, after retirement and a move into management in Ireland, the club turned to him to aid their battle against relegation to the Conference in 2005.

He helped them escape the drop on the final day of the season and then transformed them into a young side playing good football which, two years later, won promotion via the play offs.

However, County's financial turmoil saw him unable to take the club much further, and they only narrowly avoided the drop back to the basement division.

He was made redundant by cost-cutting County at the conclusion of the 2008/9 season. Now at Port Vale, but is constantly linked with a return to the Stockport job.


Mick Harford (Luton Town)

Often voted the best ever player for the Bedfordshire club, Harford spent six years with Luton during the 1980s.

During his time with the Hatters, he helped Ray Harford's men win the 1988 League Cup and preserve their top flight status. He also appeared for the England senior side.

He spent a short spell at Derby before returning to Kenilworth Road again, almost scoring the goals to keep Town amongst the country's elite. However, he left after relegation.

Harford was assistant to Joe Kinnear in 2001, helping Luton win promotion from League Two before leaving a couple of years later. He returned as manager himself in 2008, with the cash-strapped Hatters facing relegation back to the basement division.

Docked 30 points, he was at the helm as Luton crashed into the Conference in 2009, but did secure them the Football League Trophy. He left the club early on last term after a poor start to the campaign.


Ronnie Moore (Rotherham United)

Now in his second spell as manager of the Millers, Moore has a long and successful connection with the South Yorkshire club.

He first went to the club as a player in the '80s. His goalscoring exploits over three years made him a terrace favourite and saw him recently voted United's greatest ever player.

In 1997, he returned to Millmoor as manager and guided the club to successive promotions to the Championship where, despite a comparatively small budget, he kept them for four seasons.

Eventually, with relegation looking likely, he departed in 2005. However, he returned to Rotherham last season to replace Mark Robins.

Moore took the Millers to the play off final where they were beaten by Dagenham. They are once again in contention for promotion from League Two this term.


Brian Tinnion (Bristol City)

Despite being a man of the North East, 450 appearances over 12 years as a player at Ashton Gate means Bristol is the city most associated with Tinnion.

He was part of the Robins side who fluctuated between the second and third tiers during the '90s - winning promotion in 1998 but suffering relegation in 1995 and 1999.

Working with the club's youth system, Tinnion was already being groomed for the top job before becoming a player coach under Danny Wilson as City once again fought for promotion from League One.

He replaced Wilson as manager after successive play off failures, but in his first year at the helm Tinnion was unable to even guide the Robins into the top six.

A poor start to the next season saw him resign from his post following a 7-1 thrashing at Swansea left City in the relegation zone.

Big Match Review - Stevenage 2 Macclesfield 2

Stevenage 2-2 Macclesfield Town

Saturday August 7, Broadhall Way, (Att: 3,553)

Charlie Griffin's late strike earned Stevenage a deserved share of the spoils against Macclesfield on their Football League debut.

The Hertfordshire outfit had got off to the perfect start with a goal within the first ten minutes. Peter Vicenti got on the end of a deep cross from the right to nod home the ball from close range to send Broadhall Way into raptures.

However, those celebrations were soon cut short as Gary Simpson's side hit back to equalise just five minutes later. Matt Hamshaw's inswinging free kick finding the head of Nat Brown who powered the ball past Chris Day to restore parity.

That goal helped the side from Cheshire grow in confidence, and they then took the lead early in the second period.

A low cross from the right by Emile Sinclair caused trouble in the Boro back line and Tyrone Barnett was on hand to poke the ball across Day and into the far corner.

It appeared as though the home side were going to begin life among the 92 with defeat, but Griffin was to have the final say.

After being released by Robert Sinclair, he showed great composure to side step a challenge and prod the ball home.

It was enough to secure Stevenage their first ever point in the Football League in a draw likely to satisfy both managers.

Big Match Preview

Stevenage vs. Macclesfield Town

Saturday August 7, 15:00, Broadhall Way

Good things come to those who wait, and this weekend Stevenage finally realise their Football League dream as they kick off their inaugural campaign as a member of the 92.

The Hertfordshire outfit won last season's Conference to earn their place in League Two - and banish the memory of being denied a similar promotion in 1996 because of the state of their ground.

Now, Broadhall Way is ready to host Stevenage's first ever game in the Football League as Macclesfield Town make the trip down to the Home Counties.

In many ways, Boro fans couldn't have asked for more appropriate opposition. Macc are the joint-longest serving members of the basement division - beginning their 12th consecutive year at this level.

The Silkmen will also be able to sympathise with the enormity of the occasion - having been denied elevation to the Football League because of their ground in the '90s, too.

However, Saturday will be all about the home team, rather than the visitors from Cheshire, with Stevenage hoping to get their season off to the perfect start.

It's been a largely quiet summer for boss Graham Westley who, perhaps wisely, has opted to stick with the majority of the players who served him so well in winning the Conference last term.

Some additions have been made, including centre halves Luke Foster and Darius Charles, who both have experience at this level. The manager will also look to captain Mark Williams to keep things tight at the back.

At the other end, the likes of experienced targetman Tim Sills will help lead the line alongside the pair of Yemi Odubade and Charlie Griffin - who scored over 30 goals between them last season.

Westley and his skipper Mark Roberts helped Stevenage to last season's title

For opponents Macclesfield, boss Gary Simpson is beginning his first full season as manager after stepping up from assistant in February after the death of Keith Alexander.

The Silkmen usually find themselves towards the wrong end of the division, but will hope to build upon their finishing position of 19th last term.

That confidence of progression is emphasised by relatively little transfer activity at the Moss Rose over the close season with wide man Matt Hamshaw the most notable of a handful of captures.

Simpson will be hoping that continuity will help Town get off to a good start this season.

Macc also boasted one of the best away records in League Two last term - only Champions Notts County and Port Vale lost fewer games on the road in 2009/10.

Despite that away success, it is often having a solid home record which is crucial to a side's season.

That was emphasised by Stevenage suffering just one defeat at Broadhall Way all last term on their way to promotion. They will need be similarly difficult to beat on home soil as they seek to make the transition up to League Two.

With a large crowd behind them, I think they can rise to the occasion and collect all three points on their big day.

Nobes' Prediction: Stevenage 2 Macclesfield Town 1

Keith Alexander (1956-2010): A Tribute

If the remit of this website is to champion the lower divisions of English football, few men epitomised them more than Keith Alexander.

The sad news of the passing of the Macclesfield boss on Tuesday evening, aged just 53, has sent shockwaves through the grassroots of the game

Tributes have come flooding in from figures across the footballing world. Almost all have talked about Alexander the manager - a committed, hard-working man; but also the person - warm, larger than life, and "a great guy."

His playing career was unremarkable. A typical lower league journeyman, as a striker he enjoyed spells at Non League clubs in his home county of Nottinghamshire and eventually played for the likes of Barnet, Grimsby, and Mansfield.

As a manager he walked new ground though. In 1993, Lincoln City made him the first black manager in the history of the Football League paving the way for the likes of Paul Ince and Leroy Rosenior.

It was at Sincil Bank where he was to have his greatest success as a manager. His first spell ended in the sack when his young, footballing side struggled in the basement division.

He said the experience had taught him of the dangers of 'too much football' in the lower leagues.

It was a team that included and nurtured the likes of Matt Carbon and Darren Huckerby - players who made the Imps good money when they went on to feature at a higher level.

Spells in Non League with Ilkeston and Northwich followed - here was a man who was just happy to be involved in football, whatever the level.

However, his return to Lincoln in 2001, first as assistant to Alan Buckley before being elevated to the manager's job due to financial reasons, was the beginning of a glorious reign.

City entered administration in 2002 and, having lost some of their most talented and best paid players, were favourites for the drop the following season.

Faced with one of the smallest budgets in the league, Alexander set about dipping into the Non League market he knew so well.

His decision to recruit hungry players with a point to prove in the professional game - men like Ben Futcher, Simon Weaver, and Simon Yeo - was inspired. All three were integral members of the Lincoln team who shocked the division.

The favourites for relegation ended up in the play-off final. A 5-2 defeat to Sean O'Driscoll's classy Bournemouth side couldn't disguise what had been a miraculous achievement though.

It was a sad oversight that he wasn't awarded the manager of the season award in League Two.

His side's uncompromising style and defensive solidity may have upset opposition managers, but it was the classic tale of a manager making the most of scant resources.

Lincoln turned in a profit the following year - a complete turnaround after coming close to going out of business - and their success on the field of play continued too.

However, in November 2003, Alexander suffered a cerebral aneurysm and had life-saving surgery.

It was testament to the spirit he had engendered at 'Team Lincoln' that the Imps once again made the end of season play-offs despite their manager being absent for four months as he recuperated.

Once again they fell short, as was also the case in the following two seasons. His record of taking Lincoln to two national finals is unlikely to ever be matched though.

His time at Sincil Bank also saw him bring in and develop talent like Jamie McCombe, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Paul Mayo, and Gareth McAuley - all whom went on to play in the Championship.

At his next port of call, Peterborough, he was responsible for the signings of Craig Mackail Smith and Aaron McLean - who helped fire the Cambridgeshire outfit into the second tier.

And in his latest job at Macclesfield, he once again showed his ability to succeed on a tight budget.

It was that kind of achievement which earned him respect throughout the game.

The Sunderland boss Steve Bruce once told a tale of how he had been impressed by Alexander's thoughts on the game.

During a manager's conference, he had taken Alexander's advice over that of future England boss Steve McClaren when his then Birmingham side had been reduced to 10 men during a game.

McClaren had suggested a 4-4-1 formation was the best way to protect a lead, Alexander opted for a 3-3-3. Bruce chose the latter and saw his side win.

His work with the Prince's Trust and in helping children in his native St Lucia to have sporting opportunities was typical of a man with a heart as giant as his stature.

From personal experience, a couple of years ago during work experience at the BBC in Lincoln, I came across 'Big Keef' sitting in the reception.

I weighed up whether I should go over a have a word - congratulate him on his success at Lincoln and thank him for his services as a player at my club, Boston.

It is to my regret that I never found the courage to. Judging by how approachable he was whenever he was at York Street to watch a game, I know he would have welcomed me and appreciated it.

I'll have to make my tribute here, and it was heart-warming to see the England players wearing black armbands in memory of him during their game with Egypt.

It was a mark on the glitzy international stage for a man who spent his career working in the lower, less flashy, reaches of football. Work, and a man, well worth remembering.

R.I.P. Keith Alexander

Nobes.