This is a list of Bristol Rovers F.C. managers since the club appointed its first full-time manager in 1899, along with the number of competitive games managed, winning percentage and titles won.
Although the club were founded in 1883, they did not appoint a full-time manager until 1899, when Alfred Homer, who was assistant secretary of Aston Villa, was appointed as manager-secretary of Bristol Rovers, a position he held for twenty-one years. On joining the Football League in 1920, the club appointed Ben Hall to the manager's post. Hall held the job for one year before handing over to Andrew Wilson, the club's first non-English manager.
The next significant manager of Bristol Rovers was Albert Prince-Cox, who introduced blue-and-white quarters as the team's kit because he believed it made the players look larger and more intimidating. He also became the first manager to win a major cup competition with the club when they won the Division 3 (South) Cup in 1935. More success followed in the 1952–53 season when Bristol Rovers' longest serving post-war manager, Bert Tann, won a league title for the first time since 1905 and won promotion for the first time ever when the club won Division 3 (South). Tann remained in charge for eighteen years from 1950 to 1968.
Don Megson was the next manager to win a major trophy, taking the Watney Cup in 1972 in only his third game in charge. Following this, only two more managers won any silverware at a national level. These were Gerry Francis, who won the Division 3 title in 1989–90, and most recently Paul Trollope, who won the League 2 play-off final in 2007. That was until the appointment of Darrell Clarke who guided Bristol Rovers to back-to-back promotions, the first in the club's history making him the most successful Bristol Rovers manager ever.
In all the club has had 37 full-time managers (excluding caretaker managers).
Managers All statistics are from Bristol Rovers Football Club – The Definitive History 1883–2003 unless otherwise stated. Information correct as of match played 2 May 2025 NameNationalityBristol Rovers careerGamesWonDrawnLost% wonHonoursNotes1899Summer 1899 – July 192065224314826137.3Southern League champions, 3 Gloucestershire Cups1920July 1920 – May 1921451971942.2-1921June 1921 – April 192623074649232.2Gloucestershire Cup winner1926May 1926 – April 192913848226834.8Gloucestershire Cup winner1929May 1929 – September 19305816123027.6-1930October 1930 – October 19362951156711339.0Division 3 South Cup winner, 2 Gloucestershire Cups1936November 1936 – November 1937521792632.7-1938January 1938 – January 195022780499835.23 Gloucestershire Cups1950January 1950 – April 196889736921631441.1Division 3 South champions, Gloucestershire Cups: won 5, shared 51968April 1968 – July 19697026162837.1-1969August 1969 – July 197216372474444.2-1972July 1972 – November 197726991859333.8Watney Cup winner, 2 Gloucestershire Cups, promotion to Division 21977November 1977 – December 19799132194035.2-1979December 1979 – April 19802479829.2-1980April 1980 – October 19816813193619.1- (caretaker)1981 (1)October 198110100.0-1981 (2)October 1981 – May 1983May 1985 – June 198719671428336.2Gloucestershire Cup winner1983May 1983 – May 198510851282947.22 Gloucestershire Cups1987July 1987 – May 1991July 2001 – December 200124095727339.6Division 3 champions, 2 Gloucestershire Cups1991 (1)July 1991 – October 1991121298.3-1991 (2)October 1991 – November 19926321182433.3Gloucestershire Cup winner1992November 1992 – February 19931864833.3- (caretaker)1993 (1)March 199330120.0-1993 (2)March 1993 – May 1996December 2012 – March 2014250101707940.42 Gloucestershire Cups1996June 1996 – January 200124992679036.9-2001 (1)January 2001 – May 2001December 2001 – April 20024714102329.8- (caretaker)2002 (1)April 2002January 2004 – March 2004141677.1-2002 (2)April 2002 – January 20048122223727.2- (joint caretakers)2004 (2)March 2004 – April 2004632150.0-2004 (3)April 2004 – September 20056821262130.9-2005September 2005 – December 20102841067110737.3League 2 play-off winner (caretaker)2010December 2010 – January 201120020.0 2011aJanuary 2011 – March 20111322915.4 (caretaker)2011bMarch 2011 – May 2011 1243533.3 bbc sport 07.05.112011cMay 2011 – January 201229861527.5 bbc sport 05.01.122012January 2012 – December 20124512122126.6 2014March 2014 – December 2018May 2025 – December 20252701126010141.5Conference Premier play-off winner, promotion to League One2018December 2018 – December 20195625181344.6 (caretaker)2019aDecember 20191100100 (caretaker)2019bDecember 2019January 202010100.0 2019cDecember 2019 – November 2020336101718.2 (caretaker)2020aNovember 2020February 2021320166.6 2020bNovember 2020 – February 2021 19531126.3 2020bFebruary 2021 – October 202314353306037.1Promotion to League One (caretaker)2023aOctober 2023 – November 2023742157.1 2023bDecember 2023 – December 2024571973133.3 (caretaker)2024aDecember 202420110.0 2024bDecember 2024 – May 202526631723.1 December 2025 – Present271431051.9
Notes
Records
Most games managed
+ManagerGamesYears1Bert Tann8971950-19682Alfred Homer6521899-19203Albert Prince-Cox2951930-19364Paul Trollope2842005-20105Darrell Clarke2732014-2018, 20256Don Megson2691972-19777John Ward2501993-1996, 2012–20148Ian Holloway2491996-20019Gerry Francis2401987-1991, 200110Andrew Wilson2301921-192611Brough Fletcher2271938-195012Bobby Gould1961981-1983, 1985–198713Bill Dodgin Sr.1631969-197214Joey Barton1432021-202315Joe Palmer1381926-192916David Williams1081983-1985
Most Wins
+WinsGamesYears1Bert Tann3698971950-19682Alfred Homer2436521899-19203Albert Prince-Cox1152951930-19364Darrell Clarke1122732014-2018, 20255Paul Trollope1062842005-20106John Ward1012501993-1996, 2012–2014
Highest win percentages
+ManagerWin%GamesYears1Steve Evans51.9272025-2David Williams47.21081983-19853Graham Coughlan44.6562018-20194Bill Dodgin Sr.44.21631969-19725Ben Hall42.2451920-1921
Promotions
+ManagerPromotionsYears1Darrell Clarke22015, 20162Bert Tann11953Don Megson1974Gerry Francis1990Paul Trollope2007Joey Barton2022
Nationalities
+CountryManagers1England292Scotland53Wales24Republic of Ireland1Spain
References
Bibliography
External links Bristol Rovers official website