The Premier League's oldest managers: From Roy Hodgson to Sir Bobby Robson
- Planet Sport writer
- 3 July 2023
With Roy Hodson staying on for at least one more season, we take a look at the oldest managers in Premier League history.
Roy Hodgson is to remain as Crystal Palace manager for the new season at the age of 76.
Here, we look at the five men to manage in the Premier League after turning 70.
Roy Hodgson
- 76 years, three days (on the date of Palace's first game of the new season)
Hodgson's extended stay means he will take charge of the clash with Sheffield United three days after his 76th birthday. Remarkably he has had three separate spells in the top flight since turning 70, keeping Palace safe from relegation in 2020-21 and again last season, but failing to achieve the same feat with Watford in between times.
His 47-year managerial career has taken in a total of 17 clubs in six countries, including four in Sweden, as well as the national teams of England, Switzerland, Finland and the United Arab Emirates.
Sir Bobby Robson
- 71 years, 192 days
Robson was 66 when he was appointed manager of his beloved Newcastle in 1999 and spent almost five years in the role, guiding the Magpies to back-to-back Champions League qualifications and a UEFA Cup semi-final.
His managerial career started over 30 years earlier with Fulham, enjoying long spells with Ipswich and England as well as managing overseas with PSV Eindhoven twice, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona.
Sir Alex Ferguson
- 71 years, 139 days
The great Manchester United manager stepped down in 2013 after the last of his record 13 Premier League titles, and his 1,500th game in charge.
His tenure began in 1986, pre-dating the Premier League era by six years, and followed three Scottish titles and a European Cup Winners' Cup with Aberdeen and almost a year in charge of Scotland. Old Trafford's north stand was named the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand in 2011.
Neil Warnock
- 70 years, 162 days
Still managing in the Championship with Huddersfield, Warnock joined the select group of septuagenarian Premier League bosses after taking Cardiff up in 2018 - the eighth promotion of a managerial career that now stretches to 37 years.
He also managed his boyhood club Sheffield United, QPR and Palace in the Premier League and 14 different clubs in all, with his 1,618 games and counting in English professional football breaking the record previously held by ex-Crewe manager Dario Gradi.
Claudio Ranieri
- 70 years, 93 days
Ranieri memorably took Leicester from relegation favourites, having narrowly survived under predecessor Nigel Pearson, to the 2015-16 league title.
He was sacked the following season and unsuccessful spells at Fulham and Watford followed, with both teams relegated and Ranieri lasting less than four months in each stop. His 14 games in charge of the Hornets saw him past his 70th birthday - before he was replaced by a then 74-year-old Hodgson in January 2022.
