Wanderers Managers

[Krimzon]

I can go back as far as John McGovern , dont remember anyone else before that . 

Who was the worst and/or most hated ? not including caretakers

Retrospectively Phil Neal did a great job at reducing the over priced wage bill . The Lifeline , 2 Wembley appearances and a promotion stabilised the club and he had an awesome eye for a player .

Niel lennon was sold a Lemon , Dougie Freedman was goal difference off . Sammy Lee tried to change too much too soon . Roy McFarland what were they thinking ? Keith Hill failed experiment . Owen Coyle fuckin un lucky , Stoke debacle , but losing Holden & Muamba .

Gary Megson - never forgive never forget . No arguments shirley ? 

[Krimzon]

Bonus quiz question , how many managers have we had since our records began in 1874 ? 

[bolty58]

Bill Ridding when I started.

Standouts for me - Allardyce, Armfield, Greaves, Rioch, Todd.

[Underpants]

George Mulhall was pretty poor. Got the job on the back end of a couple of half decent results as caretaker. Back in them days being a manger wasn't an art. Any fooker who had kicked a ball professionally could be a gaffer if they wanted to. George was a classic example of that 

Some would say different but I thought Phil Neal was very poor. But I was well chuffed when he got the job.

You always remember your first. For me it was Ian Greaves. And I can rattle off his teams from when he took over to when he got the sack. I would struggle to rattle off any other team since then.

Edited April 4, 2025 by Underpants

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

Coyle wasn't unlucky, he was fucking shit

[desperado]

Worst for me was Freedman.

Not so much on results, but his lack of passion, his pseudo intellectual mumbo-jumbo, disinterest, not getting the best out of his players/squad.

He was a lifeless soul who didn’t want to be here (he’s pretty much admitted this since)

None of the other failures displayed those characteristics.

The minimum for anyone representing Bolton Wanderers is passion, fight and a will to do your best.

The wanker.  

[Zico]

Megson didn't do anything wrong results wise 

It was just mostly dour and he was a cunt 

DF on the other hand 

Biggest game of the season he starts Rob Hall in midfield 

The following season he gives us our worst start to a season in over 100 years 

The following season he did it again

All whilst talking about controlling the  game without the ball and calling players his gift to us and other such nonsense where he thought he was being smart

And came across like he didn't want to be here 

He wins hands down for me

[Whitesince63]

7 hours ago, bolty58 said:

Bill Ridding when I started.

Standouts for me - Allardyce, Armfield, Greaves, Rioch, Todd.

Me too 58 but I’d add Phil Neal to that list because I don’t think he ever really got the credit he deserved and just for bringing in Andy Walker alone? 🙂

Edited April 5, 2025 by Whitesince63

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Phil Neal was effective. 

Team was footed when he arrives, but he used his knowledge to reassemble a decent squad.

Back up and in a better place. 

Turned sour, but overall did pretty well.

Sounds familiar!

[Whitestar]

Jimmy Armfield was the first for me, in them days you just knew we were going places and Ian Greaves continued the momentum.

Some rubbish in the early 80s mind, mulhall, Anderson, McGovern.

Of the more recent rubbish I'd say Doogie was out of his depth and didn't look at all well, his assistant lenny Lawrence seemed embarrassed to be there and looked like he didn't know wether to laugh or cry.

.

[Arrested development]

Freedman hands down. Absolute shite. 

[bolton va va]

Owenbastard coyle was the worst manager in my time & IMO the most damaging in the history of the club. I'll never forgive him for throwing away our premier league place when we were dependent on their money & set us off on the way to admin.

Best 3.....Ian Greaves, Rioch & Parky.   No problem with either Neal or Evatt. 

[Rizlar]

47 managers in total according to google . My first Bill Ridings worst Freedman could not stand the bloke ! 
Megson just for being a twat liked Ian. Greaves best as to be Big Sam first me   to be able to watch JJ Campo  Youri etc was a blessing  

[paulhanley]

Ian Greaves was the first I remember and remains one of the best. It was great that Big Sam them came along from the Greaves era and the latter speaks very warmly about the former in his book. 

Bruce Rioch is the other great in my time. 

I fell out with Colin Todd in the same way I ended up falling out with Evatt. It seemed all to be about the aesthetics rather than the results. Weird given his 96/7 team could fight as well as play.

Stan Anderson and George Mulhall in the 80s were mistakes. John McGovern and Phil Neal tried very, very hard for BWFC but you wonder what the fascination with employing player managers was by the boards at the time. Coyle got off to a great start but proved one-dimensional and Freedman/Lennon were fighting against the odds with the financial plight of the club. Sammy Lee was a total disaster and the wrong appointment.

Mention must be made of Phil Parkinson in later days. It was not pretty but he got us a promotion and acted with dignity through those dog-days of financial ruin.

[Take Hunt Off]

Bill Riding was in the managers chair when I started watching the whites .He didn’t even pick the team , the directors did that on the Friday night before the match in the Pack Horse , neatly written on a serviette.Having said that it rarely changed ie Hopkinson, Hartle, Farrimond….etc.

Armfield did a great job turning around a sinking ship & giving us all some hope which Ian Greaves then turned into relative success.

McGovern , Wright, Mulhall all found themselves managing in difficult times with zero investment from the board at the time . Neal did a decent enough job trying & to some extent improving the playing staff over a few seasons against the backdrop of tiny crowds (4.5k) he just didn’t quite have what takes to get us over the promotion line.

Rioch was a different kettle of fish managed to corner the board into some commitment & signing players like David Lee & McGinley. 
His tenure was probably the most enjoyable period, although Todd managed to eclipse him with our runaway championship season.

Allardyce is still our best by a country mile even though some folk still think he was a big headed oaf , he was backed substantially later by Eddie Davies but early doors it was Frank Passie free transfer types he had to bring in.

Sammy Lee ,Coyle , the least said the better .Freedman was a weirdo .We won 5-1 away at Leeds playing swashbuckling footie , next game Derby away he changes the team around & we crab a 0-0 draw playing mainly defensive .He did have a nice line of Italian suits though.

Megson I grudgingly did have some time for .His PR was a disaster but he didn’t give a shit , we beat the Stretford lot at home & he kept us up that season .I know some will never ever forgive him for the European debacle followed by another abysmal visit to Wigan ,at the end of the day he was only obeying orders , & his end was always imminent , but careful what you wish for eh ?

Parkinson did a good job , in the end he was engulfed with the financial sunami

& sweaty Ken’s chicanery.

Evatt, we know rescued us from the bottom tier & gave us a good day out at Wembley & that in itself will be remembered.

[Zico]

Oh and McFarland, dreadful choice

[Zico]

1 hour ago, paulhanley said:

Ian Greaves was the first I remember and remains one of the best. It was great that Big Sam them came along from the Greaves era and the latter speaks very warmly about the former in his book. 

Bruce Rioch is the other great in my time. 

I fell out with Colin Todd in the same way I ended up falling out with Evatt. It seemed all to be about the aesthetics rather than the results. Weird given his 96/7 team could fight as well as play.

Stan Anderson and George Mulhall in the 80s were mistakes. John McGovern and Phil Neal tried very, very hard for BWFC but you wonder what the fascination with employing player managers was by the boards at the time. Coyle got off to a great start but proved one-dimensional and Freedman/Lennon were fighting against the odds with the financial plight of the club. Sammy Lee was a total disaster and the wrong appointment.

Mention must be made of Phil Parkinson in later days. It was not pretty but he got us a promotion and acted with dignity through those dog-days of financial ruin.

Freedman wasn't hamstrung by the clubs finances when he was signing the likes of Spearing, Beckford, Hall, Moritz and Baptiste in his second season

Fees and big wages there

 

[tomski]

Worst in my time in no particular order

Neal 

Evatt 

Megson

[tomski]

Best 

Rioch 

Allardyce 

[Farnywhite]

Top 10 I base it on having to archive something is how to rank them 

Allardyce  ( promotion , Europe and cup finals 

Ricoh ( promotion to top flight and cup finals ) 

Todd ( promotion to top flight in style ) 

greaves ( see above Todd  ) 

megson ( Europe and kept us up ) 

Neal ( promotion from division 4  not a pot to piss in . Playoffs )  

Evatt ( promotion div 4 and playoffs ) 

Coyle ( made some good signings unlucky with injuries  otherwise would of stayed up ) 

McGovern  ( no money ) 

lennon   ( no money fire sale going on ) 

Edited April 5, 2025 by Farnywhite

[medwaywhite]

1 hour ago, Take Hunt Off said:

Bill Riding was in the managers chair when I started watching the whites .He didn’t even pick the team , the directors did that on the Friday night before the match in the Pack Horse , neatly written on a serviette.Having said that it rarely changed ie Hopkinson, Hartle, Farrimond….etc.

Armfield did a great job turning around a sinking ship & giving us all some hope which Ian Greaves then turned into relative success.

McGovern , Wright, Mulhall all found themselves managing in difficult times with zero investment from the board at the time . Neal did a decent enough job trying & to some extent improving the playing staff over a few seasons against the backdrop of tiny crowds (4.5k) he just didn’t quite have what takes to get us over the promotion line.

Rioch was a different kettle of fish managed to corner the board into some commitment & signing players like David Lee & McGinley. 
His tenure was probably the most enjoyable period, although Todd managed to eclipse him with our runaway championship season.

Allardyce is still our best by a country mile even though some folk still think he was a big headed oaf , he was backed substantially later by Eddie Davies but early doors it was Frank Passie free transfer types he had to bring in.

Sammy Lee ,Coyle , the least said the better .Freedman was a weirdo .We won 5-1 away at Leeds playing swashbuckling footie , next game Derby away he changes the team around & we crab a 0-0 draw playing mainly defensive .He did have a nice line of Italian suits though.

Megson I grudgingly did have some time for .His PR was a disaster but he didn’t give a shit , we beat the Stretford lot at home & he kept us up that season .I know some will never ever forgive him for the European debacle followed by another abysmal visit to Wigan ,at the end of the day he was only obeying orders , & his end was always imminent , but careful what you wish for eh ?

Parkinson did a good job , in the end he was engulfed with the financial sunami

& sweaty Ken’s chicanery.

Evatt, we know rescued us from the bottom tier & gave us a good day out at Wembley & that in itself will be remembered.

This is spot on for me as well

[Duck Egg]

McGovern was in charge when Lifeline came in. He pushed it and made personal sacrifices when the club was skint.  Mulhall also gets a free pass from me. Anderson less so.  Freedman was the worst. An absolute charlatan.

Neal deserves huge credit for turning us around. Rioch, probably my favourite, Todd - best season and best football, Sam - unbelievable what he did with us, Evatt - some great football and one of my best days ever as a supporter.

[MancWanderer]

Armfield was the first for me. First full season watching and we get promoted. Loved this football lark

Greaves will always be my favourite. Ewood, away at Man U, Frank, promotion, BSA’s header vs Sunderland. Best ever memories as a Wanderer. As someone above I could name a Greaves lineup in a heartbeat

Managers after Greaves were just shite appointments but Neal did us well. Not the best but….Wrexham 

Rioch prob my 2nd favourite

Allardyce obvs up there 

Parky has plenty of credit for me

Freedman was just baffling and is probably my worst but I’ll never forgive Megson for the 2-2 against Hull. Lee was just a stupid appointment

[Farnywhite]

1 hour ago, MancWanderer said:

Armfield was the first for me. First full season watching and we get promoted. Loved this football lark

Greaves will always be my favourite. Ewood, away at Man U, Frank, promotion, BSA’s header vs Sunderland. Best ever memories as a Wanderer. As someone above I could name a Greaves lineup in a heartbeat

Managers after Greaves were just shite appointments but Neal did us well. Not the best but….Wrexham 

Rioch prob my 2nd favourite

Allardyce obvs up there 

Parky has plenty of credit for me

Freedman was just baffling and is probably my worst but I’ll never forgive Megson for the 2-2 against Hull. Lee was just a stupid appointment

Greaves got us up but also we were garbage and got relegated the season after next 

Edited April 5, 2025 by Farnywhite

[Dr. Feelgood]

Bill Ridding was my first. He'd had a decent (more later) 1950's but I first watched as it began to go tits-up.

George Eastham's contract challenged meant money talked & money was in larger clubs & in large city's. The writing was on the wall.

A 'gentleman manager' he was not anbex-pro but in fact a Sports Physio. He'd managed that great 50's side of Lofthouse, Hopkins, Hartlepool, Higgins, Banks x 2, Edwards, etc. He brought in Wyn Favies to replace the irreplaceable Nat, Freddie Hill too.

He brought through Frannie Lee.

But for me real memory is the players he DIDN'T sign. He mismanaged a difficult Frannie Lee. He declined a trial of Colin Bell. He'd had Duncan Edwards on the books but was off guard when Busby nicked him. He famously rejected Alan Ball.

His fault ? Well, he was in charge. Imagine Edwards, Bell & Ball in midfield. Davies & Lee, with Hill feeding them. Alec Lindsey had been looked at as full back but went to Bury. England international Hoppy in goal.