List of Portsmouth F.C. managers

Statue of Jimmy Dickinson, player for Portsmouth from 1946 to 1965 and manager of Portsmouth 1977 to 1979, outside Fratton Park

Portsmouth Football Club is a professional football club based in Milton, Portsmouth, in Hampshire, England. The club was formed at 12 High Street, Old Portsmouth on 5 April 1898 as Portsmouth Football and Athletic Company and was elected to the Southern League Division 1 for the 1899-1900 season and finished runners-up in their first season.

Portsmouth Football Club have had 41 permanent managers and 10 caretaker managers in their history. The first manager was Frank Brettell who joined Portsmouth from Tottenham Hotspur in February 1899. The longest serving manager was Jack Tinn with 20 years from 1927 to 1947. The shortest serving permanent manager was Velimir Zajec at 4 months and 14 days. The most successful manager was Bob Jackson, winning two back to back First Division titles in 1948-49 and 1949-50 and a Charity Shield (shared) in 1949. Most recent success was with current manager John Mousinho, winning the League One title in 2024.

Bob Blyth, Ron Tindall, Jimmy Dickinson, Bobby Campbell, Guy Whittingham, and Andy Awford have all played for Portsmouth at one point and later would go on to manage the club as well. From 12 October 2000 to 25 February 2001 Steve Claridge was player-manager.

Full Managers List and Statistics

Information and statistics correct as of 22 August 2026. Only competitive matches are counted.

Table headers
  • Nationality – If the manager played international football as a player, the country/countries he played for are shown. Otherwise, the manager's nationality is given as their country of birth.
  • From – The date of the start of the manager's tenure for Portsmouth.
  • To – The date of the end of the manager's tenure for Portsmouth.
  • P – The number of games managed for Portsmouth.
  • W – The number of games won as a manager.
  • D – The number of games drawn as a manager.
  • L – The number of games lost as a manager.
  • Win% – The total winning percentage under his management rounded to two decimal places.
  • Honours – The trophies won while managing Portsmouth.
Key
List of Portsmouth F.C. managers
Image Name Nationality From To P W D L Win% Honours Ref
Frank Brettell  England February 1899 May 1901 8856923063.64
Bob Blyth  Scotland August 1901 May 1904 142842929059.15
Richard Bonney  England August 1904 May 1908 206993968048.06
Robert Brown  England August 1911 May 1920 2201004872045.45
John McCartney  Scotland May 1920 May 1927 3081299386041.88 1 Third Division (tier 3) champions: 1923-24,
1 Second Division (tier 2) runners-up: 1926-27		 [1]
Jack Tinn  England May 1927 May 1947 586229131226039.08 1 FA Cup winners: 1938–39,
2 FA Cup runners-up: 1928–29, 1933–34		 [2]
Bob Jackson  England May 1947 June 1952 2341145169048.72 2 First Division (tier 1) champions: 1948-49, 1949-50,
1 Charity Shield (shared):1949		 [3]
Eddie Lever  England August 1952 April 1958 2618867106033.72 [4]
Freddie Cox  England August 1958 February 1961 120282963023.33 [5]
George Smith  England April 1961 April 1970 430157112161036.51 1 Third Division (tier 3) champions: 1961-62 [6]
Ron Tindall  England 1 April 1970 10 May 1973 143414161028.67 [7]
John Mortimore  England 10 May 1973 6 September 1974 54181620033.33 [8]
Ian St. John  Scotland 13 September 1974 4 May 1977 138353865025.36 [9]
Jimmy Dickinson  England 4 May 1977 1 May 1979 103313240030.10 [10]
Frank Burrows  Scotland 1 May 1979 1 May 1982 159674745042.14 [11]
Bobby Campbell  England 21 May 1982 11 May 1984 98432035043.88 1 Third Division (tier 3) champions: 1982-83 [12]
Alan Ball  England 11 May 1984 17 January 1989 222945870042.34 1 Second Division (tier 2) runners-up: 1986-87 [13]
John Gregory  England 17 January 1989 3 January 1990 50101525020.00 [14]
Frank Burrows  Scotland 23 January 1990 13 March 1991 60201723033.33 [11]
Jim Smith  England 1 June 1991 2 February 1995 200825464041.00 [15]
Terry Fenwick  England 2 February 1995 13 January 1998 131432959032.82 [16]
Alan Ball  England 26 January 1998 9 December 1999 97282643028.87 [13]
Tony Pulis  Wales 13 January 2000 12 October 2000 35111014031.43 [17]
Steve Claridgep  England 12 October 2000 25 February 2001 235108021.74 [18]
Graham Rix  England 25 February 2001 25 March 2002 56161723028.57 [19]
Harry Redknapp  England 25 March 2002 24 November 2004 116542636046.55 1 First Division (tier 2) champions: 2002-03 [20]
Velimir Zajec  Croatia 24 November 2004 7 April 2005 215412023.81 [21]
Alain Perrin  France 7 April 2005 24 November 2005 214611019.05 [22]
Harry Redknapp  England 7 December 2005 25 October 2008 127542845042.52 1 FA Cup winners: 2007–08,
1 FA Community Shield runners up: 2008		 [20]
Tony Adams  England 25 October 2008 9 February 2009 224711018.18 [23]
Paul Hart  England 9 February 2009 24 November 2009 309615030.00 [24]
Avram Grant  Israel 26 November 2009 21 May 2010 3310716030.30 1 FA Cup runners-up: 2009–10 [25]
Steve Cotterill  England 14 June 2010 14 October 2011 61181726029.51 [26]
Michael Appleton  England 10 November 2011 7 November 2012 51131127025.49 [27]
Guy Whittingham  England 7 November 2012 25 November 2013 51111525021.57 [28]
Richie Barker  England 9 December 2013 27 March 2014 20488020.00 [29]
Andy Awford  England 27 March 2014 13 April 2015 55201718036.36 [30]
Paul Cook  England 12 May 2015 31 May 2017 107522728048.60 1 League Two (tier 4) champions: 2016-17 [31]
Kenny Jackett  Wales 2 June 2017 14 March 2021 2111074460050.71 1 EFL Trophy winners: 2018–19,
1 EFL Trophy runners-up: 2019–20		 [32]
Danny Cowley  England 19 March 2021 2 January 2023 97422728043.30 [33]
John Mousinho  England 20 January 2023 Present 175704956040.00 1 League One (tier 3) champions: 2023-24 [34]

Caretaker managers

Figures correct as of 20 January 2023
Includes all competitive matches.
NameNationalityFromToPWDLWin %Ref
Ron Tindall  England 6 September 1974 13 September 1974 20020.00 [7]
Tony Barton  England March 1991 May 1991 1252541.67
Keith Waldon  England 13 January 1998 26 January 1998 30030.00 [35]
Bob McNab  England 9 December 1999 13 January 2000 50230.00 [36]
Joe Jordan  Scotland 24 November 2005 7 December 2005 20020.00 [37]
Stuart Gray  England October 2011 November 2011 631250.00
Andy Awford  England 25 November 2013 9 December 2013 30210.00 [30]
Gary Waddock  England 13 April 2015 12 May 2015 411225.00 [38]
Joe Gallen  England 14 March 2021 18 March 2021 10010.00
Simon Bassey  England 3 January 2023 20 January 2023 30030.00 [39]

References

  1. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - John McCartney". SoccerBase. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  2. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Jack Tinn". SoccerBase. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  3. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Bob Jackson". SoccerBase. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Eddie Lever". SoccerBase. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  5. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Freddie Cox". SoccerBase. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  6. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - George Smith". SoccerBase. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Portsmouth - Managers - Ron Tindall". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  8. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - John Mortimore". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  9. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Ian St John". SoccerBase. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  10. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Jimmy Dickinson". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  11. 1 2 "Portsmouth - Managers - Frank Burrows". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  12. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Bobby Campbell". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  13. 1 2 "Portsmouth - Managers - Alan Ball". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  14. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - John Gregory". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  15. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Jim Smith". SoccerBase. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  16. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Terry Fenwick". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  17. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Tony Pulis". SoccerBase. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  18. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Steve Claridge". SoccerBase. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  19. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Graham Rix". SoccerBase. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  20. 1 2 "Portsmouth - Managers - Harry Redknapp". SoccerBase. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  21. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Velimir Zajec". SoccerBase. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  22. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Alain Perrin". SoccerBase. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  23. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Tony Adams". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  24. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Paul Hart". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  25. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Avram Grant". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  26. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Steve Cotterill". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  27. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Michael Appleton". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  28. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Guy Whittingham". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  29. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Richie Barker". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  30. 1 2 "Portsmouth - Managers - Andy Awford". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  31. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Paul Cook". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  32. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Kenny Jackett". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  33. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Danny Cowley". SoccerBase. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  34. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - John Mousinho". SoccerBase. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  35. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Keith Waldon". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  36. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Bob McNab". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  37. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Joe Jordan". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  38. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Gary Waddock". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  39. ↑ "Portsmouth - Managers - Simon Bassey". SoccerBase. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.