List of Bolton Wanderers F.C. managers

The following is a list of managers or head coaches of Bolton Wanderers Football Club and their major honours from the beginning of the club's official managerial records in 1885 to the present day. As of the 2024–25 season, Bolton Wanderers have had 29 full-time managers with one, Nat Lofthouse, being in charge on two occasions.

The most successful person to manage Bolton Wanderers, to date, is Charles Foweraker, who won three FA Cups in his 25-year reign as manager. He is also the club's longest-serving manager. Their current Head Coach is Steven Schumacher, having taken charge on 30 January 2025.

Statistics

Information correct as of matches played up to 24 May 2026. Only competitive matches are counted.[1]

NameNationalityFromToPWDLWin%[a]HonoursMinor Honours (First Team only)Notes
Tom Rawthorne  England 1 August 1874 31 May 1885 13643046.15 [b]
John Bentley  England 1 August 1885 31 May 1886 3111033.33 1 Lancashire Senior Cup: 1886 [b]
William Struthers  Scotland 1 August 1886 31 May 1887 3201066.67 [b]
Fitzroy Norris  England 1 August 1887 1 December 1887 3021000.00 [b]
John Bentley  England 1 December 1887 31 May 1895 200892586044.50 1 Lancashire Senior Cup: 1891 [b]
Harry Downs  England 1 August 1895 31 May 1896 3519610054.29 [b]
Frank Brettell  England 1 August 1896 31 May 1898 68261329038.24 [b]
John Somerville  Scotland 1 August 1898 1 January 1910 43819277169043.84 Football League Second Division Champions 1908–09
Will Settle  England 1 January 1910 31 May 1915 224974681043.30 1 Lancashire Senior Cup: 1912
Tom Mather  England 1 August 1915 31 May 1919 0000!—
Charles Foweraker  England 1 July 1919 1 August 1944 912373231308040.90 3 FA Cups: 1923, 1926, 1929 6 Lancashire Senior Cups: 1922, 1925, 1927, 1932, 1934, 1939 (shared with Preston North End)
Walter Rowley  England 1 August 1944 1 October 1950 197644489032.49 1 Football League War Cup: 1945; 1 Lancashire Senior Cup: 1948
Bill Ridding  England 1 October 1950 1 August 1968 767290184293037.81 1 FA Cup: 1958, 1 FA Charity Shield: 1958
Nat Lofthouse  England 1 December 1968 1 November 1970 81222336027.16
Jimmy McIlroy  Northern Ireland 1 November 1970 19 November 1970 2002000.00
Jimmy Meadows  England 13 January 1971 30 April 1971 161411006.25
Nat Lofthouse  England 1 May 1971 1 August 1971 0000!—
Jimmy Armfield  England 1 August 1971 4 October 1974 180804753044.44 Football League Third Division Champions 1972–73
Ian Greaves  England 7 October 1974 28 January 1980 230906674039.13 Football League Second Division Champions 1977–78
Stan Anderson  England 28 January 1980 31 May 1981 62181727029.03
George Mulhall  Scotland 1 June 1981 1 June 1982 4213722030.95
John McGovern  Scotland 1 June 1982 7 January 1985 118372655031.36
Charlie Wright  Scotland 7 February 1985 6 December 1985 4411825025.00
Phil Neal  England 18 December 1985 8 May 1992 351132103116037.61 1 Football League Trophy: 1989 2 Lancashire Senior Cups: 1989, 1991
Bruce Rioch  Scotland 29 May 1992 8 June 1995 172834247048.26
Roy McFarland  England 20 June 1995 2 January 1996 285716017.86 [c]
Colin Todd  England 2 January 1996 22 September 1999 183795351043.17 Football League First Division Champions 1996–97
Sam Allardyce  England 19 October 1999 29 April 2007 371153104114041.24 1 FA Premier League Asia Trophy: 2005
Sammy Lee  England 30 April 2007 7 October 2007 14347021.43
Gary Megson  England 25 October 2007 30 December 2009 99272745027.27
Owen Coyle  Republic of Ireland 8 January 2010 9 October 2012 126422460033.33
Dougie Freedman  Scotland 23 October 2012 3 October 2014 101343334033.66
Neil Lennon  Northern Ireland 12 October 2014 15 March 2016 80182636022.50
Phil Parkinson  England 10 June 2016 21 August 2019 157493474031.21
Keith Hill  England 31 August 2019 30 June 2020 3361116018.18
Ian Evatt  England 1 July 2020 22 January 2025 2611305873049.81 1 EFL Trophy: 2023
Steven Schumacher  England 30 January 2025 76342220044.74

Notes

  1. ↑ Win% is rounded to two decimal places
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Secretary of the committee that chose the team
  3. ↑ Colin Todd was appointed as a de facto co-manager with McFarland but McFarland was always treated as the senior partner by the press.

References

  1. ↑ "Bolton Manager History | Past & Present | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
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