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.

Big Match Review - Middlesbrough 0 QPR 3

Middlesbrough 0-3 Queens Park Rangers

Saturday February 26, Riverside, (Att: 16,972)

Queens Park Rangers continued their march towards the Premier League as a Heidar Helguson brace helped earn them a comprehensive victory at struggling Middlesbrough.

Neil Warnock's table toppers almost fell behind on Teeside however, as keeper Paddy Kenny's sloppy clearance fell to Scott McDonald only for the Rs man to redeem himself with a vital save.

Boro were made to pay for that missed opportunity as they fell behind in unfortunate circumstances just before the interval. Helguson's shot being deflected off a defender and over Jason Steele in the home goal.

Rangers doubled their lead just past the hour mark when Helguson headed home Wayne Routledge's teasing cross from the left.

And they wrapped up all three points when Adel Taarabt was fouled in the box by Merouane Zemmama and the Moroccan picked himself off the floor to send Steele the wrong way from the spot.

The empathic win maintains QPR's five point advantage at the summit while Tony Mowbray's side still sit perilously close to the relegation zone in 20th.

Big Match Preview - Middlesbrough vs. QPR

Middlesbrough vs. Queens Park Rangers

Saturday February 26, 15:00, Riverside

Two of the Championship's pre season favourites meet in the North East this weekend with both teams looking for points to aid their respective quests at either end of the division.

While table topping Queens Park Rangers have lived up to their billing though, it's been a hugely disappointing season for Middlesbrough - who still find themselves battling to avoid the drop.

Boro had been expected to challenge for the Premier League after a summer of heavy spending, but a poor start to the campaign saw them struggling near the foot of the table - leading to boss Gordon Strachan resigning.

While his successor, Teesside legend Tony Mowbray, has managed to improve fortunes at the Riverside, they still lie just five points above the drop zone in 20th.

Unsurprisingly, Middlesbrough have struggled badly to find any kind of consistency, although they did manage to construct a six match unbeaten run at the turn of the New Year.

That erratic form is no better illustrated than by their 3-2 comeback win at Millwall last weekend following on from throwing away a 3-1 lead at home to Swansea to lose 4-3.

The loss to the Swans is one of five games at the Riverside they've lost this term, with Millwall, Bristol City, Leeds, and Ipswich also returning with maximum spoils.

Half a dozen wins have been collected though, with Boro seeing off Scunthorpe, Cardiff, Crystal Palace, Reading, Burnley, and Sheffield United.

Key men in Mowbray's side include striker Leroy Lita, who is the leading scorer on eight, as well as Australian forward Scott McDonald who seems to be finally finding his feet at the club.

Tony Mowbray is fighting to keep underachieving Middlesbrough in the Championship

In stark contrast, it's been relatively plain sailing for QPR, who have led from the front all season and currently sit five points clear at the Championship's summit.

With the experienced Neil Warnock at the helm, Rangers have finally begun to show their potential after flattering to deceive under a succession of short-lived managers.

Just three games have been lost all season, two of them coming on the road at fellow top six sides Leeds and Norwich during a sticky spell over Christmas and the New Year.

Since then, they've recovered and are currently on a nine-match unbeaten streak and, with 26 points from their 17 matches, boast the best away record in the second tier.

Victories for the Rs have been secured at Reading, Coventry, Ipswich, Leicester, Crystal Palace, and Sheffield United, although they recently slipped up only drawing 1-1 at bottom club Preston.

Without doubt, the outstanding player for the Hoops this term has been ingenious midfielder Adel Taarabt whose creativity and guile, as well as his 14 goals, have made him arguably the division's player of the season.

Warnock can also call upon the services of experienced forwards Heidar Helguson and Tommy Smith, as well as the Championship's tightest back line with just 20 goals conceded all season.

This is a more difficult game to call than simply a side at the top against one at the bottom owing to Middlesbrough's unpredictable nature. They have genuine quality and will be fighting hard for the points to move further away from trouble.

Add in the fact that, unlike QPR, they had the midweek off, and that Rangers are away draw specialists, and I'll go for another stalemate at the Riverside.

Nobes' Prediction: Middlesbrough 1 Queens Park Rangers 1

Doctor Lakes - Queens Park Rangers

Quick, somebody, call a Doctor! Actually, no need, there's one already here.

His name is Doctor Lakes and, equipped with his medical degree from the University of Hull, he's on hand to deal with any emergencies.

He's also an expert on checking-up on Football League sides and whether they're in rude health or not.

For his latest physical, he ventured to the Smoke to test whether Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers are really as fighting fit as they appear.


Prior to their game against Watford earlier this month, QPR were top of the table - four points clear of Cardiff with a game in hand. They hadn't lost all season and their defence had only conceded nine goals in 19 matches.

They had just beaten their closest rivals in their previous game and few people were prepared to bet against them winning the league.

Fast forward a few weeks and it's suddenly a different picture. Back-to-back defeats at home to Watford and away to Leeds hasn't had much of an impact on their league position - they are still three points clear with a game in hand.

However, it has certainly altered the way the rest of the league looks at the London club.

The game against Watford was shown on TV, and I was looking forward to watching it to see how Rangers were shaping up this season. It was the first time I had a chance to see them play since Neil Warnock took charge.

It's hard to argue with a club who haven't lost all season and are sitting pretty at the league's summit, but I wanted to see whether Warnock had altered his usual approach to playing football.

Now, I'll admit that I'm not the biggest Warnock fan and I will reluctantly admit that he is arguably the best manager in this division. That said, he teams don't always play the most attractive form of football.

It would be unfair to call his Sheffield United team hoof merchants, but they did have a tendency to resort to the long ball more often than not.

I wanted to see whether Warnock had transferred this style of play down south, or whether he was prepared to learn from QPR's past and play the fluid football of old.

Soccer AM/MW provided a live commentary on the game, and to say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I had heard all these plaudits flooding out about Adel Taarabt pulling the strings and QPR being a joy to watch when the Moroccan was on form.

I had gone into the game knowing that their defence was seemingly impenetrable and had not long finished reading an article on Football365 stating that Paddy Kenny was having an incredible season for the Hoops.

Of course, you're all aware that Watford came away from Loftus Road with three goals and three points. Taarabt was anonymous and it reached a point that I wasn't even aware that he had substituted.

He was trying hard to impress, whether that was because he was on TV or not, I don't know. All I do know is that it's easy to understand why a lot of people use the word 'frustrating' to describe him.

On too many occasions, the young Moroccan took the wrong option - opting to keep hold of the ball rather than pass it, choosing to shoot over an easier pass, just doing everything wrong.

I can't remember a moment in the game where I thought that this lad was worthy of a place in the Premier League.

Neil Warnock's QPR have had a slight dip in form after an excellent start

And it wasn't just him who had let me down. Defensively, they looked all over the place. It was shocking stuff for a team who were coasting the league.

The first goal came when the Watford striker was found unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box.

The QPR defence kept allowing their opponents time and space in and around the area. The Hornets could have scored four or five and nobody would have been shocked.

I was amazed that the league leaders were so disappointing, but I'm prepared to acknowledge that it was just one of those days for Rangers. They weren't at the races and just failed to get a foothold in the game.

I realise that this is part and parcel of the beautiful game, but the thing that disappointed me the most was how QPR were playing. They never looked like keeping the ball on the deck and passing it around.

They were always looking toward the top quickly, rather than building from the back. I lost count of the amount of times Paddy Kenny picked the ball up and then hoofed it down field towards his strikers.

Not one of his clearances found a man in a hooped shirt. It was ugly football at times and if a newcomer to football was to have watched that game, they would have thought that Watford were top of the table.

The Hoops then had to travel to Elland Road to face a Leeds team who appear to be getting better with every passing game. Not the type of fixture you want after having your behinds handed to you by a local rival on television. Another game, another defeat.

Having gone 19 games unbeaten, QPR have now lost their last two games, but it would be stupid to suggest they are in free fall. They still have the best manager in the league and one of the best squads, but why have they come unstuck recently?

Are their opponents finally finding out how to beat them or have they become too complacent? Is Taarabt itching for a move away, hence his abject performance against Watford, or was that game a 'miss' match for the hit-and-miss Moroccan?

These are questions that Warnock will be asking himself and his players over the next few weeks.

There's little doubt that QPR will be at the top end of the table come the end of the season, but whether they will occupy one of the top two spots is becoming a little less certain.

Two defeats on the trot is certainly not a disaster, especially when one of those games is away to Leeds, but Rangers fans might be a little worried about how abysmal their side were against Watford.

Having said that, these two defeats might force Warnock into wearing trousers.

QPR vs. Watford LIVE

Neil or No Neil?

After his appointment as the new manager of Queens Park Rangers, Nobes weighs up the pros and cons of Neil Warnock.

Part pantomime villain, part football manager.

Neil Warnock's ability to divide opinion has seen him labelled everything from Marmite Man to many other, far ruder, things.

However, away from all the controversies surrounding one of the game's most colourful characters, Warnock is undoubtedly one of the top managers outside the Premier League.

It's that ability which is why QPR have come calling. It is a mark of the manager's ability that their expectations for promotion next season will be high - despite the difficult nature of the Championship.

From Warnock's perspective too it is an attractive offer. He is in the autumn of his career and will see the job at Loftus Road as a last chance to get back into the top flight he believes he can manage in.

Would you want him as manager of your team though?


The Case For

You might not like him, but Neil Warnock's managerial record demands respect.

Along with new Bradford boss Peter Taylor, he holds the record for the most number of promotions in the Football League - an impressive five.

The Yorkshireman has masterminded promotions at Plymouth, Huddersfield, Sheffield United, and twice with Notts County.

When you add those to taking Scarborough into the Football League in 1987 - his credentials are unrivalled.

He has also never been at clubs who have had a lot of money to spend. His ability to forge sides greater than the sum of their parts has been key to his success over the years.

He has also helped bring through and nurture talented young talent like Phil Jagielka and Victor Moses - turning them into top flight players.

It could also be argued that, had the FA done the right thing and relegated West Ham in 2007, Warnock would still be a Premier League manager today.

Sheffield United were only relegated on goal difference that year and, with the added revenue of Premier League football, could have begun to establish themselves at that level.

He has always had the ability to foster great team spirit and camaraderie in his sides. Warnock's teams can never be accused of not working hard or giving it their all.

His fans, and he had many amongst the Palace faithful who were sad to see him leave, would also point to the fact that nice guys don't get anywhere in football.

Indeed, before the Eagles's entry into administration which saw them deducted ten points, the Londoners were firmly in the play-off race.

It is testament to their former manager's character that, despite their woes off the field, he managed to keep achieving results on the pitch.

That included taking Palace into the FA Cup fifth round - bringing in much needed funds to the financially-striken club.

His record in the cups has always been good - once taking Sheffield United to both the FA and League Cup semi-finals during his time at Bramall Lane.

His outspoken nature - particularly against referees - is well known. However, being a qualifed referee himself, the 61-year-old arguably has more justification for criticising officials than other managers.

As for QPR, they now have a manager with a proven track-record. Someone who knows how to win promotion from this level.

His first task though will be to use that motivational ability to steer the West London outfit away from the drop zone - they currently sit just a place and three points above Palace.

And, for all the brickbats of ugly football and ugly touchline behaviour that are thrown towards him, none of that will really matter if Warnock can guide Rangers back into the top flight.


The Case Against

Neil Warnock has a promotion record that is the envy of all other managers.

However, along the way he's managed to upset opposition managers, fans, and the footballing authorities in a manner only bettered by Sir Alex Ferguson.

His run-ins with other managers have become infamous.

In 2001, the then Burnley boss Stan Ternent accused Warnock of sending his assistant Kevin Blackwell to spy on the Clarets's half time team talk.

He lambasted everyone from the aforementioned Ferguson to Rafa Benitez for playing understrength teams against Sheffield United's relegation rivals when the Blades dropped down from the Premier League in 2007.

Most famously of all, in 2002, a game at Bramall Lane with West Brom had to be abandoned after the Blades, who were losing at the time, were reduced to only six players.

Baggies boss Gary Megson accused his opposite number of instructing his players to feign injury, saying he'd "never witnessed anything as disgraceful as that."

Whilst undoubtedly saving money on his Christmas card list, the frequency of his run-ins paint a picture of Warnock as a temperamental man who can often let his passion for the game boil over.

And, like the Boy Who Cried Wolf, his constant moaning makes feeling sorry for him difficult when things really do against his side.

It was almost inevitable that the worst decision of this season - Crystal Palace having a clear goal at Bristol City missed by the officials - would have to happen to Warnock's side. Many, because of his constant moaning, found the decision funny though.

His latest outburst after Palace's FA Cup game against Aston Villa has landed him in hot water with the authorities. While some make annual donations to charities, Warnock's contributions seem to end up at the Football Association.

Some critics might argue too that his antics on the touchline are actually more entertaining than the football his team's produce.

He has a reputation for sacrificing style for substance. It's results, not performances that count most for the straight-talking Sheffielder.

When he finally did reach the Premier League with his beloved Blades he seemed intent on building a squad jammed full of journeymen and utility players.

He must spend any money he gets at Loftus Road more wisley - QPR fans expect more than just endeavour from their side.

He must also get the best out of a squad of talented footballers, not just marshall them into an effective unit grinding out ugly wins. It's time for Warnock to do his talking on the pitch.

A Change of Hart

When Italian businessman Flavio Briatore took over as owner of Queens Park Rangers in 2007, the West London club earned the tag "the richest club in the world."

Usurped in that particular stake by Manchester City after their own takeover a year later, at least Rangers can console themselves with being the biggest laughing stock in English football.

That's because Paul Hart's departure as manager last week, after just five games at the helm, made it six permanent managers who have been and gone at Loftus Road in less than three years.

To date Luigi De Canio, with 35 games at the club, is the longest serving manager under Briatore's stewardship.

However, as those outside the club mock the absurdity of such rapid turnover, it threatens to be anything but a laughing matter for the future of the Rs.

Hart, appointed in December to replace the axed Jim Magilton - who himself only came into the job last summer, walked of his own volition over rumoured disagreements with the club's hierarchy.

Even during his short reign though rumours had persisted that he was nothing more than a stop gap, with former West Ham and Charlton boss Alan Curbishley sounded out as a longer-term candidate.

Of course, many would put the use of 'longer term' when concerned with the QPR manager's position down to pure fantasy if the current trend is anything to go by.

Soon after their big-money takeover, Rangers parted company with John Gregory and have since hired and fired De Canio, Iain Dowie, Paulo Sousa, Magilton, and now Hart has chosen to leave.

A relentless task from the club's owner to find the right man to spend the money to take them back into the Premier League? Or a trigger-happy policy where if someone isn't quite what they want or desire they are given the push?

It's hard to accept the former. Indeed, Rangers must be glancing an envious look up at Sousa's Swansea, currently 4th in the Championship standings. If Briatore honestly thought the Portugeuse wasn't good enough, Sousa seems intent on proving him mistaken.

Both Hart and Dowie can also point to previous top six finishes in the Championship in the past, and in the latter's case promotion to the Premier League with Crystal Palace in 2004.

No, it appears that the Italian is intent on running Rangers his way, and probably won't be satisfied until it's him who's picking the starting eleven every weekend.

Waving goodbye: Paul Hart is the latest manager to leave QPR

However, the most worrying aspect for QPR on their search for a new manager is just who would want to take on the risk, for that is now what the job represents, at Loftus Road?

Will promising young managers who have built their reputation in the lower divisions, learning their trade and waiting for the opportunity at a high level, take a chance if offered the Rangers post?

They will know all too well that if they get on the wrong side of the owner or fail to achieve instant results - and in attractive style too - then they could find themselves out of a job a few months down the line with their career going backwards.

No, they will avoid the pitfalls present in West London, and instead seek out other more stable clubs with, relatively, more patient chairmen willing to give them their break.

Similarly, will successful established managers like Curbishley even want to drop down to take on the challenge? Some might be tempted by the money on offer to them, but would it really be worth taking the risk for?

More chance the Rs will be forced to turn to the merry-go-round of older, failed managers. Those men who get a job, keep it for a short while, fail at it, get the sack but still manage to find future employment.

Is that the quality of candidate a club with top flight ambitions needs? Critics though would argue that Hart's appointment is proof that the stigma associated with the club's hierarchy has already begun.

His early success at Nottingham Forest, where he was eventually dismissed, has only been followed by failure and sackings at various levels of the pyramid with Barnsley, Rushden, and Portsmouth.

It's hard to believe a four-times failed manager was ever the right man for Queens Park Rangers, or indeed would last very long. However, perhaps this is the future for a club currently being so poorly run.

Hart's assistant, Mick Harford, himself sacked twice as a manager, stepped into the caretaker's role for the 2-2 draw at Blackpool at the weekend. It could be a sign of the calibre of managers to come.

Nobes.