Former Crystal Palace manager and football icon Roy Hodgson has been elected to save Bristol City's season. The 78-year-old returns to Ashton Gate, where he briefly managed in 1982, with the task of guiding The Robins through their final seven matches of the league season.
Former Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has been called in as interim manager for Bristol City with the side in freefall.
The Robins made the announcement on Friday, after former boss Gerhard Struber won just one point from his last five matches as Bristol City went from play-off contenders to mid-table.
Hodgson last managed in 2024 when finishing his second stint as Crystal Palace boss.
The 78-year-old has had an incredible managerial career that has now spanned 50 years, having first taken on management for Swedish side Halmstad aged just 29.
This will be the second time that Hodgson has been involved with The Robins, having been assistant manager for two years from 1980 to 1982, before a brief four-month spell as the club’s manager between January and April 1982.
Hodgson went on to manage the Swiss, UAE, Finnish and English national sides, as well as twice being appointed manager of Italian giants Inter Milan.
In 2007, Hodgson was appointed Fulham boss in his first English job in 25 years and took them to the Europa League final, before he managed Liverpool and West Brom.
In 2017, Hodgson was appointed Palace manager, and it was at Selhurst Park that Hodgson had his longest stay, taking charge of 162 matches between September 2017 and May 2021 and then a further 38 between March 2023 and February 2024.
Hodgson, who was awarded a CBE for services to football in 2021, never officially retired and has come back to his first English job to try to end the season strongly wth The Robins.
The statement from the club read: “We can announce that Gerhard Struber has ben relieved of his duties as Bristol City Head Coach.
“Roy Hodgson will take charge of the Men’s First Team until the end of the season, while the club will task the incoming Sporting Director with appointing a permanent Head Coach for the 2026/27 campaign.
“The club’s recent performances have not met expectations and therefore Struber and Assistant Head Coach Bernd Eibier will leave with immediate effect.”
Croydon-born Hodgson has managed 1,269 matches of professional football, winning 540 of them.
He will now have what is surely one last to chance to end his career on a high, with seven more matches left of the Championship season.
Bristol City face Charlton away in their next match on Good Friday, before welcoming Sheffield United to Ashton Gate on Easter Monday.
Their final match of the season comes against Stoke City at home, in what could be Hodgson’s final swansong in football.