Former England manager Roy Hodgson returns to management at 78

Roy Hodgson goes full circle, returning to his first-ever managerial club, Bristol City, as interim boss at the age of 78.

After departing Crystal Palace two years ago, many believed it would mark the end of Hodgson’s managerial career, but he is now set for a return to the touchline in the Championship.

The news comes after Gerhard Struber was dismissed by the club after a poor run of form, with just one win in nine matches across all competitions, leaving the Robins down in 16th place in the Championship.

The club had been just one point outside the play-off spots following a 3-2 victory over Hull City on 7 February, but have since slipped to 12 points off the top six.

January departures also weakened the squad, with long-serving defender Zak Vyner joining Wrexham and leading scorer Anis Mehmeti moving to Ipswich Town. Injuries further compounded the issues, as Struber was without key defenders Rob Dickie, Rob Atkinson and George Tanner.

Bristol City chief executive Charlie Boss said he believes Hodgson’s appointment will help the club establish the standards and values needed for future success.

"Roy's appointment is about more than the results of the next seven games,” said Boss.

"Over the remainder of the season, he will help us set the standards and values at the club that we will need to be successful going forwards.

"Roy is a vastly experienced coach who has achieved and won at the highest level. He will support me, our players and our football staff as we build towards achieving our potential.

"We are in the process of appointing a sporting director who will have a direct input into the recruitment of a new permanent head coach."

Roy Hodgson never formally confirmed his retirement after leaving Crystal Palace in 2024, but after two years away from the game, it appeared his managerial career had come to an end - until Bristol City came calling.

Hodgson’s connection with Bristol City dates back to the very beginning of his managerial career. In 1982, the club handed him his first role in senior football, giving him an opportunity to step into management after his early coaching work.

However, his spell at Ashton Gate was brief and ultimately difficult. Bristol City were going through a challenging period at the time, dealing with financial issues and instability on and off the pitch. Results proved hard to come by, and Hodgson’s tenure lasted only a matter of months before he moved on.

While it wasn’t a successful stint in terms of results, the experience proved significant. It marked the starting point of a managerial journey that would go on to span decades, taking Hodgson across Europe and international football, and laying the foundations for one of the most well-travelled coaching careers in the game.

He returns to the West Country with vast experience having managed Inter Milan, Liverpool, Fulham, Blackburn Rovers, West Bromwich Albion and the national teams of Finland, England, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

The pinnacle of Hodgson’s career came when he was appointed manager of England national football team in 2012.

Taking charge of his country is widely regarded as the ultimate honour for any English coach, and for Hodgson it represented the peak of decades spent managing across Europe and at international level.

He led England into major tournaments including UEFA Euro 2012, the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016.

He will now take charge of Bristol City for the rest of the season, with the goal of guiding the Robins up the table and securing safety from relegation.

"I have had great conversations with the board and I am really excited by the opportunity to help until the end of the season," Hodgson told the club website

"We will get straight to work and look for a positive performance on Good Friday."