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So, after 18 months in charge of Bolton Wanderers, Neil Lennon has gone. Jimmy Phillips has been given the job until the end of the season, but who will take charge next season?
The clear favourite is former Wanderer Phil Brown. Six years as a player and ten years as a coach, it's not hard to see why Brown is the bookies favourite at 4/7. And with Brown doing such a stellar job with Southend, it makes sense.
But, Southend's chairman has already been very vocal on turning down any of Bolton's advances. So, if Bolton can't get Phil Brown, who else is there?
Here are five alternatives to Phil Brown for the manager's role:
Chris Wilder
Northampton Town's manager, 48 year old Chris Wilder, has done an exceptional job at the Sixfields Stadium. Back in December, the club were close to liquidation, but luckily they got new owners just like Bolton did. On the pitch, Northampton have reigned supreme this season and are currently top of League 2, with 79 points from 36 games. Wilder has also been named League 2 Manager of the Month for both January and February 2016.
Team | From | To | Record | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
Halifax Town | 2 July 2002 | 30 June 2008 | 312 | 120 | 77 | 115 | 38.5 | |
Oxford United | 21 December 2008 | 26 January 2014 | 269 | 121 | 70 | 78 | 45.0 | |
Northampton Town | 27 January 2014 | Present | 116 | 56 | 23 | 37 | 48.3 | |
Total | 697 | 297 | 170 | 230 | 42.6 |
Michael Appleton
Oxford United manager Michael Appleton is another alternative choice for Bolton. The former Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool FC manager has taken Oxford from mid table to the automatic promotion places in less than two years. I wouldn't mind if Appleton convinced Kemar Roofe to follow him to the Macron as well. The 40 year old recently turned down the role of academy boss at Manchester United.
Team | From | To | Record | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
West Bromwich Albion (caretaker) | 6 February 2011 | 12 February 2011 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | |
Portsmouth | 10 November 2011 | 7 November 2012 | 51 | 13 | 11 | 27 | 25.49 | |
Blackpool | 7 November 2012 | 11 January 2013 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 16.67 | |
Blackburn Rovers | 11 January 2013 | 19 March 2013 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 26.67 | |
Oxford United | 4 July 2014 | Present | 101 | 44 | 30 | 27 | 43.56 | |
Total | 180 | 63 | 55 | 62 | 35.00 |
Paul Tisdale
After a six year spell with Team Bath, the University of Bath's football team, professional hat wearer Paul Tisdale joined Exeter City in June 2006. In nearly ten years at St James Park, Tisdale has taken Exeter City from the Conference to League 1. Exeter find themselves currently in League 2, but the 2nd longest serving manager in English football has done a steady job. Along the way, Tisdale was named League 2 manager of the year in 2009, and was also named by the Daily Mirror as the best dressed football manager in 2013.
Team | From | To | Record | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
Exeter City | 26 June 2006 | Present | 504 | 186 | 135 | 183 | 36.9 |
Total | 504 | 186 | 135 | 183 | 36.9 |
Nigel Pearson
Probably the most famous name in this list. After a less than successful spell in charge of Southampton FC, Nigel Pearson made his name as manager of Leicester City. After becoming manager in 2008, Pearson guided Leicester to the League 1 title. The season after, Leicester finished 5th in the Championship. Pearson then left to join Hull City in 2010, before returning to Leicester just over a year later in November 2011. Pearson then guided Leicester to the Play-Offs in 2013, before winning the Championship in 2014. Pearson then kept Leicester in the Premier League last season in extraordinary circumstances, helping the Foxes go from 20th to 14th in the last 10 games of the season. Now without a club, Pearson would certainly be a strong option for Bolton.
Team | From | To | Record | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
Carlisle United | 17 December 1998 | 17 May 1999 | 30 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 16.66 |
West Bromwich Albion(caretaker) | 18 September 2006 | 16 October 2006 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00 |
England U21 (caretaker) | 24 March 2007 | 25 March 2007 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 00.00 |
Newcastle United (caretaker) | 6 May 2007 | 15 May 2007 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 00.00 |
Newcastle United (caretaker) | 9 January 2008 | 16 January 2008 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50.00 |
Southampton | 18 February 2008 | 30 May 2008 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 21.43 |
Leicester City | 20 June 2008 | 29 June 2010 | 107 | 55 | 30 | 22 | 51.40 |
Hull City | 29 June 2010 | 15 November 2011 | 64 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 35.94 |
Leicester City | 15 November 2011 | 30 June 2015 | 182 | 85 | 38 | 59 | 46.70 |
Total | 405 | 175 | 112 | 118 | 43.21 |
Steve Cotterill
The final alternative is former Burnley, Notts County, Portsmouth, Nottingham Forest and Bristol City manager, Steve Cotterrill. Cotterill has had plenty of success as a manager. He guided Notts County to the League 2 title in 2010, and then guided Bristol City to the League 1 title and the JPT trophy last season. Cotterill has also received five manager of the month awards.
Team | From | To | Record | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
Cheltenham Town | 1 February 1997 | 27 May 2002 | 255 | 118 | 70 | 67 | 46.27 |
Stoke City | 27 May 2002 | 10 October 2002 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 23.08 |
Burnley | 3 June 2004 | 8 November 2007 | 161 | 55 | 50 | 56 | 34.16 |
Notts County | 23 February 2010 | 27 May 2010 | 18 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 77.78 |
Portsmouth | 18 June 2010 | 14 October 2011 | 61 | 18 | 17 | 26 | 29.51 |
Nottingham Forest | 14 October 2011 | 12 July 2012 | 37 | 12 | 7 | 18 | 32.43 |
Bristol City | 3 December 2013 | 14 January 2016 | 116 | 53 | 35 | 28 | 45.69 |
Total | 661 | 273 | 187 | 201 | 41.30 |
So, there you have it. Who would you choose to be Bolton's next manager?