After 10 defeats in a row, the Bristol Rovers board decided enough was enough, and they relieved manager Darrell Clarke and assistant head coach Jon Stead of their duties. It was a decision that had been brewing, but the 3-0 mauling at home to local rivals Swindon on Saturday was one defeat too far.
Clarke has legendary status at Memorial Stadium, guiding the Pirates to back-to-back promotions from the National League and League Two in 2015 and 2016. A return in May saw an instant uptick in form, and they even managed a seven-game unbeaten stretch at the start of the season.
Heavy defeats, players drained of confidence, and a team that looked devoid of ideas or fight followed. There’s no doubt that Clarke’s prior ties and success at the club kept him in the job for this long, but the romantic reunion quickly became a cautionary tale, and the search for the next Bristol Rovers manager is now on.
Bristol Rovers Next Manager Odds
We’ve got a jump on the bookies for the next Bristol Rovers manager odds, and as yet, they aren’t officially live. So we’ve done some digging, formed a shortlist and taken a look at who might be next to replace Clarke, with implied probabilities for each pick.
| Manager | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jon Brady | 3/1 |
| Danny Cowley | 4/1 |
| Michael Flynn | 5/1 |
| Garry Monk | 6/1 |
| Steve Evans | 8/1 |
| Neil Harris | 10/1 |
| Darren Ferguson | 12/1 |
| Michael Duff | 16/1 |
| Gareth Ainsworth | 20/1 |
| Ian Holloway | 25/1 |
Jon Brady
It’s crazy to think that Jon Brady is still out of work after leaving Northampton Town 12 months ago. He guided the Cobblers to promotion from League Two and left, citing a desire for new challenges in his career.
Why he hasn’t taken any of the plethora of jobs that have cropped up in that time is anyone’s guess. But he’d be a great fit at Bristol Rovers, not only to guide them to safety this season, but also to get them fighting for promotion later down the line.
Few rival Brady’s knowledge of the EFL, but if he’s waited this long, it’ll be interesting to see if the board can entice him to hang up his slippers for his tracksuit and buy into a project at Bristol.
When the next Bristol Rovers manager odds eventually go live, anywhere around the 3/1 mark would be good value.
Danny Cowley
When Joey Barton was at Bristol Rovers, Danny Cowley was one of the many names in the mix. He’s since taken charge at Colchester United, and what a job he’s doing.
They’re no longer relegation fodder, and Cowley has turned them into promotion candidates for this season, and they are just four points off the play-off spots. His work has been recognised across the league, and he was named League Two Manager of the Month for November.
If they are to get Cowley, there will need to be a compensation package as part of the move. But it would be a statement appointment for a man who took Lincoln City from the National League into League Two, along with that famous FA Cup quarter-final run.
On paper, Cowley is a great fit. Young, high-energy, proven track record of promotion in the league. They will need to do some serious convincing to get him to jump ship, but at 4/1, we reckon this appointment has legs.
Michael Flynn
Bristol Rovers have five months to save their season. If they solely want a firefighter to come in and keep them up, then former Cheltenham Town manager Michael Flynn might just be that person.
He’s been out of work since he was sacked in September, but he’s performed the exact miracles that Rovers need right now at Newport County, steering them away from the drop in 2017 and then building for a play-off run the following season.
What’s interesting is that Flynn’s name was touted for the role back in 2018 when Clarke was sacked for the first time, so the board are clearly aware of his skill set.
We doubt Flynn will be at the top of the list. Both Brady and Cowley would be preferred, but both deals have blockers. Whereas, with Flynn, he’d likely snap their hands off if he were offered it.
Odds of 5/1 to be the next Bristol Rovers manager look about fair, and represent a good backup option if they can’t get their primary targets.
