The longest serving managers in English football: Arsenal boss Arteta in fifth, Van Nistelrooy 92nd…
Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, Pep Guardiola at Man City and Thomas Frank at Brentford
While a lot of football managers in England are often left fearing for their jobs, some are in a far more comfortable position.
There are always a lot of managerial changes during every football season as owners hope that a new manager will transform the team’s fortunes.
But some managers have plenty of credit in the bank after spending years at one particular club and they don’t have to worry about the sack race.
We’ve taken a look at every Premier League and English Football League manager and ranked them by how long they’ve been in charge of their club.
92. Ruud van Nistelrooy, Manchester United – Appointed: October 28th 2024
Van Nistelrooy has been appointed as the interim manager at United after Erik ten Hag’s two-and-a-half-year spell at Old Trafford came to an end.
– Ian Holloway, Swindon Town – Appointed: October 25th 2024
– Tom Hounsell, Burton Albion – Appointed: October 23rd 2024
– Rob Elliot, Crawley Town – Appointed: October 1st 2024
– Scott Lindsey, MK Dons – Appointed: September 25th 2024
– Omer Riza, Cardiff City – Appointed: September 23rd 2024
– Mike Williamson, Carlisle United – Appointed: September 19th 2024
– Narcis Pelach, Stoke City – Appointed: September 18th 2024
– Steve Bruce, Blackpool – Appointed: September 3rd 2024
– Paul Heckingbottom, Preston North End – Appointed: August 20th 2024
Ryan Lowe became the first managerial casualty of the 2024/25 season after leaving Preston North End by mutual consent after a single game.
Mike Marsh took temporary charge for two games before the Championship side appointed former Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom as their manager.
Welcome to PNE, Paul Heckingbottom. 🤝#pnefc pic.twitter.com/MwP8JgkRlN
— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) August 20, 2024
– Nelson Jardim, Newport County – Appointed: July 16th 2024
– Scott Parker, Burnley – Appointed: July 5th 2024
80. Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton & Hove Albion – Appointed: July 2nd 2024
– Regis Le Bris, Sunderland – Appointed: July 1st 2024
– Tim Walter, Hull City – Appointed: July 1st 2024
– Enzo Maresca, Chelsea – Appointed: July 1st 2024
– Julen Lopetegui, West Ham United – Appointed: July 1st 2024
– Steve Cooper, Leicester City – Appointed: June 20th 2024
– Chris Davies, Birmingham City – Appointed: June 6th 2024
– Derek Adams, Morecambe – Appointed: June 3rd 2024
– Arne Slot, Liverpool – Appointed: June 1st 2024
After Jurgen Klopp’s eight-and-a-half-year managerial reign at Anfield came to an end in the summer, Liverpool appointed Slot as his successor.
The 46-year-old has made a brilliant start, becoming the first Liverpool manager to win the first 11 out of 12 matches at the start of a season.
Arne Slot loved @LFC’s second goal at Old Trafford 💪 pic.twitter.com/j5SPEUuqUI
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 4, 2024
– Michael Flynn, Cheltenham Town – Appointed: May 31st 2024
70. Stephen Clemence, Barrow – Appointed: May 31st 2024
– Johannes Hoff Thorup, Norwich City – Appointed: May 30th 2024
– Wayne Rooney, Plymouth Argyle – Appointed: May 25th 2024
– Darrell Clarke, Barnsley – Appointed: May 23rd 2024
– Michael Duff, Huddersfield Town – Appointed: May 13th 2024
– Mark Bonner, Gillingham – Appointed: May 7th 2024
– Alex Revell, Stevenage – Appointed: April 17th 2024
– Steve Evans, Rotherham United – Appointed: April 17th 2024
– Tom Cleverley, Watford – Appointed: March 9th 2024
– John Doolan, Accrington Stanley – Appointed: March 4th 2024
60. Garry Monk, Cambridge United – Appointed: March 4th 2024
– Neil Harris, Millwall – Appointed: February 21st 2024
– Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace – Appointed: February 19th 2024
Glasner guided Palace to a 10th-placed finish in the Premier League last season but they’ve made a poor start to the current campaign.
– Darren Moore, Port Vale – Appointed: February 13th 2024
– John Eustace, Blackburn Rovers – Appointed: February 9th 2024
– Nathan Jones, Charlton Athletic – Appointed: February 4th 2024
– Paul Hurst, Shrewsbury Town – Appointed: January 24th 2024
– Stuart Maynard, Notts County – Appointed: January 18th 2024
– Luke Williams, Swansea City – Appointed: January 5th 2024
– Karl Robinson, Salford City – Appointed: January 5th 2024
50. Danny Cowley, Colchester United – Appointed: January 4th 2024
– Charlie Adam, Fleetwood Town – Appointed: December 31st 2023
– Nuno Espirito Santo, Nottingham Forest – Appointed: December 20th 2023
After a brief stint at Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, Nuno Espirito Santo returned to English football in December 2023 and signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at Nottingham Forest.
The 50-year-old helped the club avoid relegation to the Championship and has now made a strong start to the 2024/25 season, guiding Forest to their first win at Anfield since 1969.
– Chris Wilder, Sheffield United – Appointed: December 5th 2023
– Matt Taylor, Bristol Rovers – Appointed: December 1st 2023
– David Artell, Grimsby Town – Appointed: November 27th 2023
– Des Buckingham, Oxford United – Appointed: November 16th 2023
– Michael Skubala, Lincoln City – Appointed: November 13th 2023
– Liam Manning, Bristol City – Appointed: November 7th 2023
– Graham Alexander, Bradford City – Appointed: November 6th 2023
40. Marti Cifuentes, Queens Park Rangers – Appointed: October 30th 2023
– Danny Rohl, Sheffield Wednesday – Appointed: October 13th 2023
– Nigel Adkins, Tranmere Rovers – Appointed: September 10th 2023
– Gary O’Neil, Wolves – Appointed: August 9th 2023
– Daniel Farke, Leeds United – Appointed: July 4th 2023
– Ruben Selles, Reading – Appointed: June 26th 2023
– Russell Martin, Southampton – Appointed: June 21st 2023
– Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth – Appointed: June 19th 2023
– Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham – Appointed: June 6th 2023
Tottenham reportedly considered Luis Enrique, Arne Slot and Julian Nagelsmann before appointing Postecoglou in the summer of 2023.
The 59-year-old finished fifth in the Premier League in his debut season and is now looking to end Tottenham’s trophy drought.
“Usually in my second season I win things,” he said. “That’s the whole idea. First year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation. Hopefully the second year is going onto win things.
“Of course it’s easier said than done, particularly in the Premier League and the competition we’re in. That’s always the way I’ve looked at it, is that the second year you should be in a position where you can push on, depending on how the first year has gone.”
I really rate this from Ange Postecoglou.
He’s had success over 25 years, playing with a style that he believes in at his core. That success is what took him to Celtic and then to Tottenham, if he gave up on it, what was the point in the first place?
— HLTCO (@HLTCO) October 18, 2024
– Grant McCann, Doncaster Rovers – Appointed: May 12th 2023
30. Mat Sadler, Walsall – Appointed: April 19th 2023
– Matt Bloomfield, Wycombe Wanderers – Appointed: February 21st 2023
– Sean Dyche, Everton – Appointed: January 30th 2023
– Shaun Maloney, Wigan Atheltic – Appointed: January 28th 2023
– John Mousinho, Portsmouth – Appointed: January 20th 2023
– Darren Ferguson, Peterborough – Appointed: January 4th 2023
– Rob Edwards, Luton Town – Appointed: November 17th 2022
– Lee Bell, Crewe Alexandra – Appointed: November 4th 2022
– Unai Emery, Aston Villa – Appointed: November 1st 2022
– Carlos Corberan, West Brom – Appointed: October 25th 2022
20. Michael Carrick, Middlesbrough – Appointed: October 24th 2022
– Gary Caldwell, Exeter City – Appointed: October 24th 2022
– Paul Warne, Derby County – Appointed: September 22nd 2022
– Johnnie Jackson, AFC Wimbledon – Appointed: May 16th 2022
– Richie Wellens, Leyton Orient – Appointed: March 9th 2022
– Paul Cook, Chesterfield – Appointed: February 10th 2022
– Kieran McKenna, Ipswich Town – Appointed: December 16th 2021
– Eddie Howe, Newcastle United – Appointed: November 8th 2021
When Howe replaced Steve Bruce in the Newcastle dugout in November 2021, they were sat 19th in the Premier League table.
The 46-year-old guided the club to safety in his debut season and then helped them qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 2002/03 campaign.
He was heavily linked with the England role following Gareth Southgate’s resignation but the FA have since appointed Thomas Tuchel.
– Dave Challinor, Stockport County – Appointed: November 2nd 2021
– Phil Parkinson, Wrexham – Appointed: July 1st 2021
10. Marco Silva, Fulham – Appointed: July 1st 2021
– Andy Woodman, Bromley – Appointed: March 29th 2021
– Jon Brady, Northampton Town – Appointed: February 10th 2021
– Nigel Clough, Mansfield Town – Appointed: November 6th 2020
– Ian Evatt, Bolton – Appointed: July 1st 2020
– Mikel Arteta, Arsenal – Appointed: December 22nd 2019
After Arsene Wenger’s 22-year reign at Arsenal came to an end in 2018, Unai Emery had a brief spell in charge before Arteta replaced him in December 2019.
He’s now regarded as one of the best managers in the Premier League and recently signed a new long-term contract, which will keep him at the Emirates until the end of the 2026/27 season.
“I feel extremely proud, very excited and am looking forward to what is coming next,” the 42-year-old said. “I feel extremely lucky to work every single day with good people and the ambition we have here.
“I feel very inspired, I feel challenged, I feel supported and I want to do much more than what we’ve already done together.”
It’s not about the journey. It’s not about the destination.
It’s all about the company for Mikel Arteta at @Arsenal ❤️#AONArsenal pic.twitter.com/GL6FuvNRyV
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) January 26, 2023
– Thomas Frank, Brentford – Appointed: October 16th 2018
– Mark Robins, Coventry City – Appointed: March 6th 2017
– Pep Guardiola, Manchester City – Appointed: July 1st 2016
1. Simon Weaver, Harrogate Town – Appointed: May 21st 2009
READ MORE: The best available football managers, including potential Man Utd targets
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