Former Premier League Managers that Plummeted to the Fourth-Tier and Beyond
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Former Premier League Managers that Plummeted to the Fourth-Tier and Beyond

Former Premier League Managers that Plummeted to the Fourth-Tier and Beyond

The life of a football head coach can be filled with momentous highs and tretchourous lows, with the spotlight of a fanbase dependant on their bosses ideologies and judgement. There’s little room for error at the top level of English football, which some managers have had to learn the hard way.

In light of Phil Brown taking charge of National League North side Peterborough Sports this week upon winning his opening game in the second round of FA Cup qualifying, Football Park are taking a look at some of the falls from grace, that once considered high-level coaches have taken since their time in the Premier League.

Mark Hughes - Blackburn (2004 -2008) Manchester City (2008-2009) Fulham (2010-2011) QPR (2012) Stoke (2013-2018) Southampton (2018)

A Premier League managerial career that spanned over a decade, Mark Hughes is a name that fans were accustomed to seeing on the touchline in the English top flight. The Welshman was a no-nonsense style manager who was never relegated from the Premier League.

His tenor in the first divison began at Blackburn where the now 61-year-old guided his side to a 6th place finish in the 2005-2006 season. He then joined a Manchester City side going through a drastic change in ownership, as Abu Dhabi United Investment Group bought the club just two months after his appointment.

The influx of new funding saw exciting signings with Brazilian winger Robinho joining for £32.5m from Real Madrid. Nigel De Jong, Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bridge would all follow suit. After a 10th placed finish, more money was splashed in the transfer market the following summer, as Hughes had expectation to climb up the table. However, just two wins from 11 Premier League games saw him sacked by December.

Short spells also followed at Fulham finishing 8th in the league and achieving Europa League qualification before resigning and joining London rivals QPR where he prevented his sides relegation. A successful time with Stoke was where Hughes recieved most of his praise. Three consecutive ninth placed finishes with The Potters was regarded as a real overachievement.

After leaving Southampton in 2018, Hughes would take some time out of management before returning with Bradford in 2022 in League Two. A surprise to most, as the former striker dropped down to the fourth-tier. Despite making the play-offs the season previous, Hughes lost his job in October 2023 after a poor start to the campaign.

Now Hughes plies his trade in non-league with Carlisle United. After joining in February this year, with his side rock bottom of League Two, the experienced coach was unable to steer his side to safety. A fine start in a tough National League this campaign, sees Carlisle in 3rd place. Swapping the Ethiad for Brunton Park, was not a career endeavour many had anticipated.

Phil Brown - Bolton (1999) Hull City (2008-2010)

You'd struggle to find a level of football that Phil Brown hasn't managed at. His career has seen him take charge of 11 clubs over six divisions. The former right-back's new image is one involving non-league ventures and it is certainly attracting attention from football enthusiasts.

After making over 250 appearances at the club as a player, Brown would take charge of Bolton in 1999 as caretaker manager. Just five games in charge in the top flight and despite an impressive four wins, the job was given to Sam Allardyce with Brown continuing in an assistant role.

A six month stint at Derby in 2005 in the Championship, saw him sacked with the club in 19th place. He'd swiftly move on to Hull City the following year, keeping The Tigers in the Championship that season. A play-off triumph in his secomnd season saw a first promotion to the top flight in the clubs history.

Six wins in the opening 9 games of their maiden Premier League campaign saw Hull sitting in 3rd place. Despite an exceptional start in the top flight, things started to go down hill for Brown and the club, after only picking up two more wins in their remaining 29 games, they managed to avoid relegation on the final day of the season as results went their way.

Brown's iconic on pitch rant that season after trailing Manchester City 4-0 at half-time having been dissatisfied with his team's performance lives long in the memory. Prankster and Hull midfielder Jimmy Bullard would imitate the stunt the following season after scoring against the same opponents. Brown was ultimately sacked at the end of that season, after failing to get his side out of the relegation places.

A drop down the football league would soon follow with Preston, Southend and Swindon before time oversees with Indian side Hyderabad. He returned to Southend and they were relegated to the National League where he was sacked the following season. Barrow then sacked Brown despite survival in League Two. More disappointment at Kidderminster Harriers saw relegation from the National League and Brown was dismissed at the end of last season, after failing to regain promotion.

A new challenge emerges with Peterborough Sports, with the club currently bottom of the National League North. The once Premier League icon is now trusted to keep the club from falling further down the footballing pyramid.

Ian Holloway - Blackpool (2010-11) Crystal Palace (2013)

Known as a one of the most comical character's in English football, Ian Holloway has had quite the journey as both a player and a manager. A total of three promotions for Holloway as a coach with two of those to the Premier League, the 62-year-old knows how to guide his teams to success.

His first taste of management was with Bristol Rovers, taking on a player-manager role. This was his second spell for The Gas after spending his youth career with the side. He spent time with QPR and Plymouth before a poor spell as Leicester manager resulted in his eventual sacking after just nine wins in 32 games.

He joined Blackpool the following campaign where he would really make his mark. Achieving the clubs first promotion to the top flight in 40 years, through the play-offs in the first season, Holloway was a hero in West-Lancashire. A tough Premier League campaign was to follow, despite a 4-0 win to Wigan on the opening weekend, The Seasiders narrowly missed out on survival on the final day of the season.

Holloway had a second bite at the top flight three seasons later after achieving another play-off win with Crystal Palace. This time however his time in the division was even shorter-lived, as Holloway left the club by mutual consent within two months of the season after seeing his side five points from safety.

A first sacking as a manager came with Millwall. After keeping The Lions in the Championship in his first season, he was sacked the following year after his side were stuck in the relegation places in March. He then went to QPR, before a dropping down two divisions as he was appointment League Two side Grimsby Town manager. He finished 15th place in 2019/20 before resigning after a poor first half of the following campaign and he subsequently took four years out of management.

In 2024 he returned to his managerial duty with Swindon. A 12th placed finish in league Two last season leaved room for improvement. A flying start to this campaign sees Holloway's side 1st in the table and with hope of a promotion bid this season.

Lawrie Sanchez - (Fulham 2007)

The story of Lawrie Sanchez is very perplexing. The Northern-Irish international appeared to arrive to the Premier League with a well-respected reputation, but his decline after he left the English top flight is hard to believe.

It was Irish side Sligo Rovers where he first started out his coaching career, before a stint with AFC Wimbeldon as reserve manager led him to a senior role as Wycombe boss in February 1999. He kept the club in the second divison (League One) that season as well as having a famous run to the FA cup semi-finals losing to Liverpool.

After losing his job three years later following Wycombe succumbing to financial issues, Sanchez would take charge of the Northern Ireland national team. He spent over three years as the coach and picked up a 1-0 win against England in a World cup qualifier.

After Fulham sacked Chris Coleman after a poor run in the Premier League, Sanchez was appointed manager on a temporary basis, despite still being in charge of Northern Ireland. He was given five games to keep The Cottagers in the league and one win and one draw was enough to do just that. It resulted in Sanchez getting the job on a permanent deal and his ties to Northern Ireland resulted in many players joining the West London side from the managers homeland.

Despite a promising start to the season, seeing them leading away to Arsenal on the opening weekend, before The Gunners handed the visitors a sucker punch, turning the game on its head in the final ten minutes. They did however manage to win their first home game of the season, but by the end of Autumn performances started to deteriorate and Sanchez was sacked in December.

He would not manage again for three and-a-half-years. When he did return, it came as a surprise to everyone when it was announced that League Two side Barnet was his destination. After occupying a consultant role for a short period the previous year that saw the club just maintain their football league status, he took full charge the following campaign. Despite reaching the Southern Area Final of the EFL Trophy that season, league form was poor and on the verge of relegation, Sanchez was sacked with three games to go.

Micky Adams - Nottingham Forest (1999) Leicester (2002 & 2003-2004)

In the three campaigns that Micky Adams would feature in the Premier League as a boss, two of those he had very little control over. It could be argued that the season he did last a full campaign was hampered by off the field incidents circulating in the media.

Following player-manager roles with Fulham, Swansea and Brentford, Adams would take over as caretaker manager at Nottingham Forest in January 1999 in the top flight, following an abismal time as Dave Bassett's assistant that season. He'd only take charge for a single game before being replaced Ron Atkinson as Forest went on to finished bottom, 11 points from safety.

Adams would take over at Brighton following his stint in the top flight and after a mid-table finish in the third divison (League Two), The Seagulls would sign a certain Bobby Zamora. He was the only incoming the club could make that summer with financial troubles meaning they had limited funds available. A second season in charge saw Brighton be crowned league champions thanks to Chesterfield's nine point deduction for breaking financial laws.

In 2001 Adams would reunite with Dave Bassett at Leicester. With Adams as assistant, it was agreed he would take the head coach role at the end of the Premier League season as Bassett was moving into a director role with The Foxes. This did come to fruition, despite not how Adams had hoped. On the verge of impending relegation from the top flight in April Bassett resigned, leaving Adams to take charge.

After rebuilding his squad ready for the first division (Championship) the following campaign, Adams spear-headed his side back to the Premier League, after finishing runners-up that season. He started the new Premier League season well, despite being restricted in spending money in the market, due to having out of favour players on favourable contract terms.

After Christmas they begin to struggle and off the field incidents with an ongoing court case involving several of his Leicester players overshadowed performances on the pitch. They subsequently returned to the newly branded Championship and Adams resigned in October 2004 that season. One and a half seasons with Coventry would follow, before returning to Brighton. He then dropped down the divisions to League Two side Port Vale. A late play-off push was unsuccessful just coming up short with one point from their final two games.

A poor reign at his boyhood club Sheffied United saw him sacked and appointed Tranmere Rovers manager, who sat bottom of League Two in 2014. Despite a promising start he couldn't overturn the fortunes at Prenton Park, and resigned with two games remaining with Tranmere in the same league position as when had joined.

Paul Hart - Portsmouth (2009)

Entering management immediately after hanging up his boots in 1988, Paul Hart would go on to manage twelve clubs as a youth, caretaker and senior manager combined. His time in the Premier League with Pompey however, is one that the clubs fans swiftly erased from their memory.

Hart started out as Chestefield's coach, where he took charge of the third divison side (League Two) following his retirement as a player the previous season. He steered the club to survival that season, before reaching a play-off final the following year. Despite the loss at Wembley, Hart began to show promise as a young coach.

Hart would then turn to coaching in youth football with Nottingham Forest, then Leeds before returning to Forest after a five year spell with the Yorkshire club. He made a good impression to the Forest board, so good in fact, he was rewarded the job as first-team coach ahead of their 2001/2002 first division (Championship) campaign.

After keeping Forest in the division, he was able to build on his first campaign in charge and reached the play-offs the following year. His third year in charge saw Hart's side start to faulter however, and he ultimately lost his job as a result. Then came an underwhelming spell at Championship side Barsnley, before joining now extinct former football league side Rushden's and Diamonds.

Another poor spell there resulted in his departure and he took a director of youth football role with Premier League side Portsmouth in 2007. Fast-forward two years and in February 2009 Hart was given a chance with the first-team as caretaker manager following Tony Adams' sacking.

Hart would go on to win 2-0 against Manchester City in his first game in charge, before continuing as caretaker manager for the rest of the season and impressing the clubs hierarchy. His job was made permanent the following summer with optimism building. With a largely ageing squad, added to the mix a club accumulating serious debt, saw Hart's Portsmouth lose their first seven games of the Premier League season. Hart was later sacked in November.

He then lasted five games at QPR in the Championship and then became caretaker manager at Crystal Palace keeping them in the second-tier before heading to Swindon in League One. Just one win in eleven games in charge and he saw his side relegated. Then spells with Notts County on a caretaker basis was short-lived, he then became League Two side Luton's assistant coach in 2016, returning to the level his coaching career began. He achieved a play-off place in his first season and promotion to League One in his second.

His latest coaching endeavour was when he rejoined Nathan Jones as his number 2 at Charlton before stepping down in August 2024.

Did These Manager's Become Outdated?

There is an argument to be had that the philosophies of these managers lacked adaptability, and as the elite level of the game continued to evolve over the years, these managers were unable to keep up with the changing components installed within.

Perhaps the lower league's are better suited to certain manager's styles of play with more emphasis on physicality. Whilst that isn't to say that there are some very technical players in these divisons, there is real praise put on teams that make themsleves hard to beat.

With mixed success for some of these manager's since their career's took a backward trajectory, it cannot be denied that they didn't bring some entertainment, with some continuing to, despite not at the highest level of English football.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Theo Nicholson

Writer

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