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THE MANAGERS
When Gary Simpson took charge of a Conference National fixture at
Woking on March 2nd 2013 he became the 33rd person since the Second
World War to occupy the managerial hot seat either permanently or as
a caretaker, and the fifth to have commenced a second stint in charge
of the Club.
Pre-WW2 the role of the manager was vastly different to the job of
today's boss and the actual selection of the team was decided upon by
the Club's board of directors, a situation that continued until Joe
McClelland was appointed in 1936 when he submitted his team to the
board for their approval!
Prior to the appointment of McClelland eight people had borne the
title of Secretary-Manager.
John Henry Strawson, who played for City in the very first season of
1884/85, was involved from the early days until just after WW1. He
was secretary between 1884 and 1896 and returned as secretary-manager
between 1907 and 1919. Most of our many re-election pleas in the
early days were successful because of Strawson's work behind the
scenes in appealing to the other clubs so it is perhaps fair to say
he can be credited with us still having a Football League club to
support today. He was also a Football League referee between 1888 and
1905 and auditor between 1895 and 1919. He was given a long service
award by the League in 1919.
Alf Martin spent a year as secretary-manager between February 1896
and March 1897 but will be remembered best for the team of 1896/97
being probably the worst in the Club's history. He left after the
Club's accounts were said to be inaccurate.
James West (March 1897-September 1900) was also a Football League
referee and later moved to Newton Heath where he received a Football
League ban for making illegal payments to players and David
Calderhead Snr, a former player (September 1900 to May 1907), who
left to spend 26 years at Chelsea were the other pre-WW1 secretary-managers.
Another former player, George Fraser (September 1919 to April 1921),
David Calderhead Jnr (April 1921 to May 1924) and Horace Henshall
(May 1924 to June 1927) guided the Club through the financial crisis
of the immediate post WW1 seasons before Harry Parkes (June 1927 to
May 1936) became the first man to help bring a League title to Sincil
Bank when we won the Third Division North title in 1931/32. Joe
McClelland arrived in June 1936 and was in charge through out WW2
before handing over to his assistant Bill Anderson in July 1947.
Bill Anderson, appointed in July 1947, was the first person to be
given the right to select the team without interference from the
board and he went on to be in charge until 1964, easily our longest
serving manager and he still remains in the Top 20 longest stints at
any Football League club.
Con Moulson was a surprise choice as coach in January 1965 as he was
58 years old and employed at Rustons! Another former player, Moulson
lasted just eight games, all defeats, before Roy Chapman became player-coach
in March 1965. His spell ended in October 1966 when Ron Gray began a
near four-year stint, which at least saw an end to the near yearly
relegation or re-election pleas the Club had suffered during the
1960's. The current nickname of "The Red Imps" began during
Gray's spell.
Coach Bert Loxley was a reluctant replacement for Gray in 1970 with
his spell in charge lasting less than a year before being replaced by
David Herd. Loxley stayed on as physio until 1986.
Herd himself lasted less than two years in his only managerial role
before the Club appointed 28-year-old player Graham Taylor as the new
boss. It took 12 games before he gained his first win but gradually
he rebuilt the team culminating in the near miss of 1974/75 and the
record breaking 1975/76 season. He stayed until June 1977 before
joining Watford and eventually becoming England manager.
George Kerr, Taylor's assistant, was given the unenvious task of
following in his footsteps but he was dismissed after half a season
as ex-Birmingham City boss Willie Bell arrived. Again the manager
lasted less than a year and with City in all sorts of trouble at the
bottom of Division Three he resigned to join a religious group in
America. Jim McCalliog took over temporarily until Colin Murphy
arrived in November 1978.
Murphy's spell lasted until May 1985 and included promotion in
1980/81 and the near misses of 1981/82 and 1982/83. He left after the
Bradford match in 1985 and, as when Taylor left, the Club again
appointed from within with assistant John Pickering taking over.
Again the move didn't pay off as Pickering was sacked in December
1985 and George Kerr returned. He couldn't prevent relegation and
despite being seventh at Christmas the following season he was sacked
in March 1987 as we plummeted down the table.
Peter Daniel was appointed caretaker-manager for the final two months
but was unable to inspire the side and we were relegated from the
Football League. Colin Murphy was reappointed and took us straight
back up but the momentum couldn't be maintained and he left after two
seasons back.
Allan Clarke was the big name to replace him but again it was a
short-lived appointment as he lasted just 179 days before being
sacked with the Imps second bottom of Division Four. Again the Club
appointed from within with Steve Thompson taking over. He saved us
from relegation with an inspired run in the second half of the season
but when it was clear we would miss out on the play-offs in May 1993
he left before the final match of the season and Keith Alexander took
over. He blooded youngsters and generally played an attractive
passing game the following season but results went against us,
particularly after Christmas, and was sacked after just one season.
Another ex-Imp was the new boss as Sam Ellis returned. Coincidentally
he had been assisting Alexander during the latter months of his
tenure but things didn't improve under Ellis and a disappointing
start to 1995/96 saw him sacked. Chairman John Reames promised a new
era and an end to all the chopping and changing and Steve Wicks was
appointed as head coach. Forty-two days and no wins later Wicks was
gone and John Beck arrived.
Beck's appointment was not universally welcomed but he managed to
steady the ship and avoid relegation to the Conference in his first
season. He rebuilt the side and although not always pleasing to watch
he laid the foundations for promotion in 1997/98. Beck though wasn't
at the Club as Chairman John Reames had sacked him in March for
taking unauthorised time off. Shane Westley was the new man in charge
but a disappointing start to 1998/99 saw him dismissed in November
and Reames himself took over the manager's role, assisted by Phil
Stant! The Club were relegated and after a season in the basement
Reames hands over to Stant for 2000/01.
The Club's financial problems become apparent during the season and
Stant had little chance to succeed eventually being sacked after a
home defeat to Leyton Orient left us once again in danger of
relegation to the Conference. Former Grimsby boss Alan Buckley is
appointed and manages to avoid relegation.
The financial position becomes even worse in 2001/02, not helped by a
poor season on the pitch. Buckley leaves at the end and Keith
Alexander is promoted to manager for his second spell. We survive
administration and, despite being relegation favourites, reach the
play-offs for the first time. Although a great day we lose to
Bournemouth, a feeling we get to know only too well!
Keith's spell in charge was anything but uneventful with his illness
(when Gary Simpson took over) and gardening leave (leaving John
Schofield in charge for a game) and the four play-off appearances but
he departed in the summer of 2006 leading to the appointment of
Schofield, who departed two months into his second season following a
run of just seven wins in 32 League games. Youth team coach and
record appearance holder Grant Brown took over in a caretaker
capacity before former Huddersfield Town boss Peter Jackson took over
the managerial reins.
Four months into his tenure, Jackson revealed that he would be absent
for the final two months of the season having been diagnosed with
throat cancer, so in stepped his newly appointed assistant Iffy
Onuora to take over first team affairs. Jackson returned to the helm
in the summer of 2008 but, following a run of poor form, which saw
the Imps score just three goals in 11 competitive matches, he parted
company with the Club along with Onuora. First Team Coach Simon Clark
was duly put in temporary charge before former England international
Chris Sutton was appointed as the new boss.
Sutton was manager for exactly 12 months before handing in his
resignation, with coach Scott Lindsey placed in charge in a caretaker
capacity before Steve Tilson joined the Club in October 2010.
MANAGER RECORDS (Football League stats only):-
Name
Tenure
P
W
D
L
%W
%D
%L
John Strawson
Sep 1892-Feb 1896
97
31
11
55
31.96
11.34
56.70
Alf Martin
Feb 1896-Mar 1897
35
9
2
24
25.71
5.71
68.57
James West
Mar 1897-Sep 1900
106
34
22
50
32.08
20.75
47.17
David Calderhead Snr
Sep 1900-May 1907
246
86
51
109
34.96
20.73
44.31
Jack Strawson
Aug 1907-May 1919
228
62
49
117
27.19
21.49
51.32
George Fraser
Sep 1919-Apr 1921
42
9
9
24
21.43
21.43
57.14
David Calderhead Jnr
Apr 1921-May 1924
118
37
28
53
31.36
23.73
44.92
Horace Henshall
May 1924-Jun 1927
126
50
25
51
39.68
19.84
40.48
Harry Parkes
Jun 1927-May 1936
376
178
76
122
47.34
20.21
32.45
Joe McClelland
Jun 1936-Jul 1947
168
73
29
66
43.45
17.26
39.29
Bill Anderson
Jul 1947-Jan 1965
762
276
168
318
36.22
22.05
41.73
Con Moulson
Jan 1965-Mar 1965
8
0
0
8
0.00
0.00
100.00
Roy Chapman
Mar 1965-Oct 1966
68
16
17
35
23.53
25.00
51.47
Ron Gray
Oct 1966-May 1970
172
59
51
62
34.30
29.65
36.05
Bert Loxley
Jul 1970-Mar 1971
31
11
4
16
35.48
12.90
51.61
David Herd
Mar 1971-Dec 1972
82
30
30
22
36.59
36.59
26.83
Graham Taylor
Dec 1972-Jun 1977
209
97
60
52
46.41
28.71
24.88
George Kerr
Jun 1977-Dec 1977
20
5
5
10
25.00
25.00
50.00
Willie Bell
Dec 1977-Oct 1978
40
11
13
16
27.50
32.50
40.00
Jim McCalliog*
Oct 1978-Nov 1978
2
0
0
2
0.00
0.00
100.00
Colin Murphy
Nov 1978-May 1985
306
121
89
96
39.54
29.08
31.37
John Pickering
Jul 1985-Dec 1985
21
4
6
11
19.05
28.57
52.38
George Kerr
Dec 1985-Mar 1987
57
16
17
24
28.07
29.82
42.11
Peter Daniel*
Mar 1987-May 1987
14
2
5
7
14.29
35.71
50.00
Colin Murphy
May 1987-May 1990
92
36
24
32
39.13
26.09
34.78
Allan Clarke
Jun 1990-Nov 1990
15
2
6
7
13.33
40.00
46.67
Steve Thompson
Nov 1990-May 1993
114
46
31
37
40.35
27.19
32.46
Keith Alexander*
May 1993
1
1
0
0
100.00
0.00
0.00
Keith Alexander
May 1993-May 1994
42
12
11
19
28.57
26.19
45.24
Sam Ellis
May 1994-Sep 1995
47
16
12
19
34.04
25.53
40.43
Steve Wicks
Sep 1995-Oct 1995
7
0
2
5
0.00
28.57
71.43
John Beck
Oct 1995-Mar 1998
115
44
36
35
38.26
31.30
30.43
Shane Westley
Mar 1998-Nov 1998
28
9
4
15
32.14
14.29
53.57
John Reames
Nov 1998-May 2000
75
25
19
31
33.33
25.33
41.33
Phil Stant
May 2000-Feb 2001
30
6
10
14
20.00
33.33
46.67
Alan Buckley
Mar 2001-Apr 2002
62
16
21
25
25.81
33.87
40.32
Keith Alexander
May 2002-May 2006
173
67
62
44
38.73
35.84
25.43
Gary Simpson*
Nov 2003-Mar 2004
11
5
4
2
45.45
36.36
18.18
John Schofield
Jun 2006-Oct 2007
57
23
13
21
40.35
22.81
36.84
Grant Brown*
Oct 2007
2
0
1
1
0.00
50.00
50.00
Peter Jackson
Nov 2007-Sep 2009
73
27
18
28
36.99
24.66
38.36
Iffy Onuora*
Mar 2008-May 2008
11
5
0
6
45.45
0.00
54.55
Simon Clark*
Sep 2009
5
1
0
4
20.00
0.00
80.00
Chris Sutton
Sep 2009-Sep 2010
45
12
13
20
26.67
28.89
44.44
Scott Lindsey*
Sep 2010-Oct 2010
3
1
0
2
33.33
0.00
66.67
Steve Tilson
Oct 2010-Oct 2011
34
10
6
18
29.41
17.65
52.94
Grant Brown*
Oct 2011
0
0
0
0
0.00
0.00
0.00
David Holdsworth
Oct 2011-Feb 2013
0
0
0
0
0.00
0.00
0.00
Grant Brown*
Feb 2013
0
0
0
0
0.00
0.00
0.00
Gary Simpson
Feb 2013-
0
0
0
0
0.00
0.00
0.00
Records prior to Bill Anderson are just a guide to how the team performed as team selection was down to the Directors’ final say. * indicates Caretaker Manager capacity |
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