Roy Hodgson will enjoy a career first when he makes his managerial return in the Bristol City dugout against Charlton.
The former England boss stunned the football world on Friday, when the Robins announced he will take charge at Ashton Gate until the end of the season.
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Hodgson replaces Gerhard Struber, who was sacked after a winless run of five games, leaving the club 16th in the Championship.
The news sees the 78-year-old make a shock managerial comeback, having been out of work since leaving Crystal Palace in February 2024.
It marks the 24th role of Hodgson’s 50 years in management, and his second stint at Bristol City, who he previously coached in 1982.
First time for everything
While you might think Hodgson would have seen it all by now, his return to the dugout will actually bring about a career first.
The veteran manager gets his Ashton Gate tenure underway with an away trip to Charlton on Good Friday.
Remarkably, this will be his first ever run-in with the Addicks, despite taking charge of over 1,300 games as a manager.
The incredible statistic was pointed out by Charlton themselves, who took to social media to inform fans.
In a post on X, the south London club wrote: “In 50 years of management, Roy Hodgson has never come up against a Charlton side.
“Until now… See you next Friday, Roy.”
Hodgson will be hoping he can make an instant impact in his managerial debut against Charlton.
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Bristol City sit just two places and three points above the 18th-place Addicks, and could jump from 16th to 11th in the Championship table with victory at the Valley.
The Robins have turned to Hodgson to rediscover their best form after enduring a disappointing season.
Austrian manager Struber replaced Liam Manning in June 2025 after the West Country outfit were denied promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
But they have struggled for consistency this term, leaving them 12 points away from both the play-offs and the drop zone.
‘No better guy’
Hodgson’s latest role sees him become the oldest manager ever to have worked in the Championship, overtaking EFL icon Neil Warnock, who was 74 when he left his role as Huddersfield boss in 2023.
Coincidentally, Warnock also recently made a sensational return to management as caretaker boss at Torquay United, although this was brought to a swift end just 18 days later.
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And former QPR midfielder Shaun Derry, who has spent time working with both coaches, has insisted the two iconic figures are simply made to manage.
Derry won promotion to the Premier League under Warnock at QPR in 2011, while he coached at Crystal Palace during Hodgson’s first stint at Selhurst Park between 2019 and 2021.
He told eSPORTY’s Hawksbee and Jacobs: “One of my old managers, Neil Warnock, has gone back into management as well.
“When you’ve got that bug, you’ve always got it. And I know just by the time I spent working with Roy and Ray Lewington as well, they’ve definitely got the bug.
“I mean, it’s just absolutely inside them and that’s what drives these people along, I guess.”
And while Bristol City have little to play for in their remaining seven games, Derry insisted Hodgson is the perfect man to raise the standards at Ashton Gate.
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After starting out in management in 1976, Hodgson has since gone on to manage 22 different teams across eight nations, including taking charge of Liverpool, Fulham and England.
Highlighting the impact Hodgson will have at the Robins , Derry added: “They can’t get in the play-offs. They’re miles away from it.
“But there’s no better guy for me to go there and set them standards.
“He is that kind of guy, Roy Hodgson. Every day he comes in and he carries himself incredibly well. He’s a brilliant communicator with people.
“So, if you’re looking at building a football club for next season, of course, they’re going to have some big decisions to make for who comes in as their head coach.
“But Roy around it, is brilliant in my eyes.”
