They say you should never return to your past. Yet, veteran football manager Roy Hodgson is doing just that, albeit after a remarkable 44-year absence. On Friday, it was announced that he would be resuming his managerial role at Bristol City, the team he previously managed long ago.
Over his extensive career spanning 50 years, Hodgson has held 21 head coach positions, including significant roles at Inter Milan, Liverpool, and the England national team. His most recent role was with Premier League team Crystal Palace, where he stepped down in February 2024. In a past interview with Sky Sports, he mentioned, “I don’t want to be Frank Sinatra and keep retiring.”
Now, at 78 years old, Hodgson is set to make a comeback, taking charge of Bristol City for their last seven matches of the 2025-26 English Football Championship season. For Hodgson, this is a familiar setting, as Bristol City marked the beginning of his managerial journey.
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Hodgson’s first tenure at Bristol City was anything but successful. After spending four years at Halmstad in Sweden where he secured two unexpected league titles, he joined Bristol City as Bob Houghton’s assistant in 1980. He became caretaker manager by January 1982, but his time at the helm was short-lived, spanning just 21 games. The club was facing financial difficulties, and Hodgson primarily helped them fulfill their obligations throughout the season.
“Bristol City was nothing short of a disaster,” he reflected in a 2012 BBC interview. “We had only been there for a matter of weeks before the banks began to pull the rug out from under the club.”
“My role as caretaker manager was simply to manage the aftermath of all the player departures and complete the season.”
The statistics surrounding Hodgson’s return in 2026 are remarkable. Since he left in April 1982, Bristol City has seen 24 managerial changes. The most staggering statistic is the duration of time between his two stints: 44 years. It’s a record without equal in sports.
Other notable gaps in soccer
Vanderlei Luxemburgo (Vasco de Gama), 37 years: The next closest example to Hodgson’s unprecedented milestone is Brazilian manager Vanderlei Luxemburgo. Over his 40-year career, he has managed more than 30 teams, including Real Madrid (2004-05) and the Brazil national team (1998-00). His return to Vasco de Gama in 2019 occurred 37 years after his initial stint, although it’s worth noting that he was an assistant during his first term.
He made another return as head coach in 2020.
Ronnie McFall (Glentoran), 34 years: Another significant gap in football history is that of Ronnie McFall. He led Glentoran to win 23 Northern Irish league titles, one of which came in 1981 during his five-year tenure at the club from 1979 to 1984 before returning in 2018.
Hodgson will hope that McFall’s experience doesn’t foreshadow his own future; McFall resigned nearly a year later after the club experienced its worst performance streak in over a century.
Are there parallels in major U.S. sports?
MLB: Tony La Russa (Chicago White Sox), 35 years — Tony La Russa’s inaugural managerial role in Major League Baseball was with the Chicago White Sox from 1979 to 1986. Even at the young age of 34, he claimed Manager of the Year honors in 1983. His return to manage the White Sox came 35 years later, in 2021, during which he was the league’s oldest manager.
NBA: Rick Carlisle (Indiana Pacers), 14 years — Rick Carlisle’s two tenures with the Indiana Pacers represent the NBA’s longest gap, though it’s a relatively modest one. Initially serving as their head coach from 2003 to 2007, he returned to the franchise in 2021 but has yet to lead the team to an NBA Finals appearance.
NFL: Jon Gruden (Oakland Raiders), 17 years — Jon Gruden’s first stint as head coach of the Raiders was from 1998 to 2001, leading to back-to-back playoff appearances before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He returned to the Raiders in 2018, but they did not reach the playoffs during his second term amid the franchise’s move from Oakland to Las Vegas.