Roy Hodgson has made a shock return to management as interim Bristol City boss after the Championship club sacked Gerhard Struber.
The former England and Liverpool boss, 78, whose last job in management ended when he left Crystal Palace in February 2024, takes over until the end of the season.
Hodgson returns to Bristol City for a second stint 44 years after an ill-fated four months as manager in 1982 in the old fourth division. The Robins were the first English club he ever managed.
Bristol City, who are winless in their last six, say Struber was dismissed along with assistant Bernd Eibler because “recent performances have not met expectations”.
The club sit 16th in the Championship, nine points adrift of the play-off places with seven games to play.
Hodgson will meet the squad on Monday and take charge of his first game against Charlton on Easter Friday, live on Sky Sports.
“I have had great conversations with the board and I am really excited by the opportunity to help until the end of the season,” said Hodgson.
“We will get straight to work and look for a positive performance on Good Friday.”
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Bristol City were beaten at home by West Brom last weekend
Hodgson has been brought in to “set the standards and the values at the club”, according to Bristol City chief executive Charlie Boss, himself only appointed last month, as they search for a new sporting director and next permanent head coach.
“I would like to thank Gerhard and Bernd for their hard work over the past nine months and we wish them all the best,” Boss said. “Roy’s appointment is about more than the results of the next seven games.
“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 becomes the oldest head coach in the Championship – 20 years older than the closest to him in age, Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder and Wrexham’s Phil Parkinson.
The former Palace manager is also 15 years older than the previous oldest across the whole EFL, Swindon Town’s Ian Holloway and Bristol Rover’s Steve Evans.