Roy Hodgson back in football aged 78 after taking Bristol City job

Former England manager Roy Hodgson has been appointed as the new interim head coach of Sky Bet Championship club Bristol City.

The 78-year-old, whose last job in management ended when he left Crystal Palace in February 2024, takes over from Austrian boss Gerhard Struber until the end of the season.

Hodgson’s appointment sees him return to a club he managed for a short spell 44 years ago.

He told the club’s website: “I have had great conversations with the board and I am really excited by the opportunity to help until the end of the season.”

The Robins are 16th in the Championship and travel to Charlton next Friday.

“We will get straight to work and look for a positive performance on Good Friday,” added Hodgson.

City are without a win in their last six matches, including an FA Cup defeat at League One side Port Vale.

A club statement said: “Recent performances have not met expectations and therefore Struber and assistant head coach Bernd Eibler will leave with immediate effect.”

Chief executive officer Charlie Boss added: “I would like to thank Gerhard and Bernd for their hard work over the past nine months and we wish them all the best.

“Roy’s appointment is about more than the results of the next seven games. 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.”

Hodgson’s appointment takes him into half a century in management, having landed his first job at Swedish club Halmstad in 1976.

He had a brief stint with City in 1982 but was sacked after four months, before going on to manage a host of clubs including Inter Milan, Blackburn, Fulham, Liverpool and West Brom as well as four years in charge of England.

His time in charge of the Three Lions ended in disappointment at Euro 2016, where they were beaten by minnows Iceland in the last 16.