# List of Northampton Town F.C. managers

Northampton Town Football Club is an English association football club based in Northampton, England. The club was founded on 6 March 1897 by a group of local school teachers who got together with the local solicitor A.J "Pat" Darnell at The Princess Royal Inn, Wellingborough Road to form the town's first professional football club. Their initially chosen name was Northampton Football Club, but after objections from the town's rugby club, the club was called Northampton Town Football Club.
Northampton Town have had 35 managers appointed to the role on a permanent basis and a further four have taken the position in a caretaker role. The vast majority have been English. In 2017, former Dutch player Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink became the first person from outside the British Isles to manage the club. A majority of the managerial changes have taken place in recent years including fifteen between 2001 and 2021.
Dave Bowen is the club's most successful manager so far, taking the club to the First Division for the only time. Herbert Chapman was in charge during the Cobblers's crown of the Southern Football League in 1908–09 and also the runners-up spot in the Charity Shield that proceeded the title.

## List of managers

    As of 8 March 2025
| Name | Nationality | From | To | P | W | D | L | Win % | Honours | Notes |
| Herbert Chapman | England | 1907-04April 1907 | 1912-05May 1912 | 212 | 106 | 44 | 62 | 50% | Southern League winners: 1908–09 Charity Shield runners-up: 1909–10 Southern League runners-up: 1910–11 | † |
| Walter Bull | England | 1912-05May 1912 | 1912-12December 1912 | 39 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 30.7% | | |
| Fred Lessons | England | 1913-08August 1913 | 1915-05May 1915 | 76 | 30 | 30 | 16 | 39.4% | | |
| Bob Hewison | England | 1920-05 May 1920 | 1925-04 April 1925 | 226 | 89 | 51 | 86 | 39.3% | | |
| Jack Tresadern | England | 1925-05 May 1925 | 1930-10 October 1930 | 235 | 108 | 78 | 49 | 45.9% | | |
| Jack English | England | 1931-02 February 1931 | 1935-03 March 1935 | 193 | 76 | 43 | 74 | 39.3% | | |
| Syd Puddefoot | England | 1935-03 March 1935 | 1937-03 March 1937 | 98 | 43 | 16 | 39 | 43.8% | | |
| Warney Cresswell | England | 1937-03 March 1937 | 1939-09 September 1939 | 94 | 34 | 19 | 41 | 36.2% | | |
| Tom Smith | England | 1939-09 September 1939 | 1949-03 March 1949 | 131 | 45 | 32 | 53 | 34.3% | | |
| Bob Dennison | England | 1949-03 March 1949 | 1954-07 July 1954 | 254 | 108 | 59 | 87 | 42.5% | | |
| Dave Smith | England | 1954-07 July 1954 | 1959-07 July 1959 | 241 | 103 | 39 | 99 | 42.7% | | |
| Dave Bowen | Wales | 1959-07 July 1959 | 1967-09 September 1967 | 387 | 165 | 89 | 133 | 42.6% | Division Four promotion: 1960–61 Division Three champions: 1962–63 Division Two runners-up: 1964–65 | |
| Jack Jennings (interim) | England | 1963-07 July 1963 | 1963-09 September 1963 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% | | † |
| Tony Marchi | England | 1967-09 September 1967 | 1968-05 May 1968 | 48 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 31.2% | | |
| Ron Flowers | England | 1968-05 May 1968 | 1969-05 May 1969 | 52 | 16 | 13 | 23 | 30.7% | | |
| Dave Bowen | Wales | 1969-05 May 1969 | 1972-05 May 1972 | 161 | 54 | 48 | 59 | 33.5% | | |
| Billy Baxter | Scotland | 1972-10 October 1972 | 1973-05 May 1973 | 48 | 10 | 11 | 27 | 20.8% | | |
| Bill Dodgin Jr. | England | 1973-06 June 1973 | 1976-06 June 1976 | 150 | 67 | 37 | 46 | 44.6% | Division Four runners-up: 1975–76 | |
| Paddy Crerand | Scotland | 1976-09 September 1976 | 1977-01 January 1977 | 25 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 20% | | |
| Committee | Committee | 1977-01 January 1977 | 1977-07 July 1977 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 36% | | † |
| John Petts | England | 1977-09 September 1977 | 1978-01 January 1978 | 57 | 19 | 10 | 28 | 33.3% | | |
| Dave Bowen (caretaker) | Wales | 1978-01 January 1978 | 1978-02 February 1978 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 50% | | |
| Mike Keen | England | 1978-02 February 1978 | 1979-03 March 1979 | 53 | 17 | 15 | 21 | 32% | | |
| Clive Walker | England | 1979-05 May 1979 | 1980-10 October 1980 | 61 | 21 | 14 | 26 | 34.4% | | |
| Bill Dodgin Jr. | England | 1980-10 October 1980 | 1982-02 February 1982 | 70 | 22 | 18 | 30 | 31.4% | | |
| Clive Walker | England | 1982-05 May 1982 | 1984-05 May 1984 | 108 | 30 | 33 | 45 | 27.7% | | |
| Tony Barton | England | 1984-07 July 1984 | 1985-04 April 1985 | 49 | 11 | 8 | 30 | 22.4% | | |
| Graham Carr | England | 1985-04 April 1985 | 1990-05 May 1990 | 278 | 114 | 68 | 99 | 41% | Division Four champions: 1986–87 | |
| Theo Foley | Ireland | 1990-05 May 1990 | 1992-04 April 1992 | 97 | 32 | 29 | 36 | 32.9% | | |
| Phil Chard | England | 1992-04 April 1992 | 1993-09 September 1993 | 59 | 17 | 9 | 33 | 28.8% | | |
| John Barnwell | England | 1993-09 September 1993 | 1994-12 December 1994 | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 31.8% | | |
| Ian Atkins | England | 1995-01 January 1995 | 1999-10 October 1999 | 254 | 93 | 72 | 89 | 36.6% | Division Three play-off winners: 1996–97 | |
| Kevin Wilson Kevan Broadhurst (caretakers) | England | 1999-10 October 1999 | 1999-10 October 1999 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 40% | | |
| Kevin Wilson | England | 1999-10 October 1999 | 2001-09 September 2001 | 102 | 42 | 19 | 41 | 41.1% | Division Three promotion: 1999–2000 | |
| Kevan Broadhurst | England | 2001-09 September 2001 | 2003-01 January 2003 | 72 | 24 | 13 | 35 | 33.3% | | |
| Terry Fenwick | England | 2003-01 January 2003 | 2003-02 February 2003 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0% | | |
| Martin Wilkinson | England | 2003-02 February 2003 | 2003-09 September 2003 | 25 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 28% | | † |
| Richard Hill (caretaker) | England | 2003-09 September 2003 | 2003-10 October 2003 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0% | | |
| Colin Calderwood | Scotland | 2003-10 October 2003 | 2006-05 May 2006 | 153 | 73 | 40 | 40 | 47.7% | League Two runners-up: 2005–06 | |
| John Gorman | Scotland | 2006-06 June 2006 | 2006-12 December 2006 | 27 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 22.2% | | |
| Ian Sampson Jim Barron (caretakers) | England | 2006-12 December 2006 | 2007-01 January 2007 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25% | | |
| Stuart Gray | England | 2007-01 January 2007 | 2009-09 September 2009 | 134 | 44 | 38 | 52 | 32.8% | | |
| Ian Sampson | England | 2009-09 September 2009 | 2011-03 March 2011 | 84 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 34.5% | | † |
| Gary Johnson | England | 2011-03 March 2011 | 2011-11 November 2011 | 34 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 20.5% | | |
| David Lee (caretaker) | England | 2017-11 November 2011 | 2017-11 November 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | | |
| Tim Flowers (caretaker) | England | 2017-11 November 2011 | 2017-11 November 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | | |
| Aidy Boothroyd | England | 2011-11 November 2011 | 2013-12 December 2013 | 108 | 39 | 26 | 43 | 36.1% | | |
| Andy King (caretaker) | England | 2013-12 December 2013 | 2014-01 January 2014 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 20% | | |
| Chris Wilder | England | 2014-01 January 2014 | 2016-05 May 2016 | 126 | 61 | 28 | 37 | 48.4% | League Two champions: 2015–16 | |
| Rob Page | Wales | 2016-05 May 2016 | 2017-01 January 2017 | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 29.4% | | |
| Paul Wilkinson (caretaker) | England | 2017-01 January 2017 | 2017-01 January 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | | |
| Justin Edinburgh | England | 2017-01 January 2017 | 2017-08 August 2017 | 25 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 24% | | |
| Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink | Netherlands | 2017-09 September 2017 | 2018-04 April 2018 | 42 | 10 | 13 | 19 | 23.8% | | |
| Dean Austin | England | 2018-04 April 2018 | 2018-09 September 2018 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 17.6% | | † |
| Keith Curle | England | 2018-10 October 2018 | 2021-02 February 2021 | 125 | 47 | 32 | 46 | 37.6% | League Two play-off winners: 2019–20 | |
| Jon Brady | Australia | 2021-02 February 2021 | 2024-12 December 2024 | 200 | 75 | 50 | 75 | 37.5% | League Two promotion: 2022–23 | † |
| Ian Sampson (caretaker) | England | 2024-12 December 2024 | 2024-12 December 2024 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25% | | |
| Kevin Nolan | England | 2024-12 December 2024 | to present | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 33.3% | | |
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; L = Matches lost; D = Matches drawn; Won % = Percentage of matches played that resulted in a win

## Footnotes and references

* ↑ "Club History". Northampton Town FC. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
* ↑ First full-time manager.
* ↑ Bob Hewison's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Jack Tresadern's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Jack English's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Syd Puddlefoot's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Warney Cresswell's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Tom Smith's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Bob Dennison's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ "Obituary: Dave Smith". The Independent. 27 January 1998. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
* ↑ Dave Smith's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Dave Bowen's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Jennings took over from Dave Bowen on a temporary basis, who had stated that he'd taken the club as far as he could. He reverted his decision 3 games into the 1963–64 season.
* ↑ Tony Marchi's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Ron Flowers' managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Dave Bowen's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Billy Baxter's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Bill Dodgin Jnr's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Pat Crerand's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Following the resignation of Paddy Crerand, Chairman Neville Ronson announced a committee would be set up, consisting of himself, the coach and three senior players.
* ↑ John Petts' managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Dave Bowen' managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Mike Keen's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Clive Walker's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Bill Dodgin Jnr's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Clive Walker's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Tony Barton's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Graham Carr's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Theo Foley's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Phil Chard's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ John Barnwell's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Ian Atkins's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Kevin Wilson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Kevan Broadhurst's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Kevin Wilson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Kevan Broadhurst's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Terry Fenwick's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Wilkinson initially took over as caretaker manager.
* ↑ Martin Wilkinson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Richard Hill's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Colin Calderwood's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ John Gorman's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Jim Barron's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Ian Sampson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Stuart Gray's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Sampson initially took over as caretaker on September 8, before being officially appointed as manager on October 5, 2009. Record as caretaker P5 W1 D2 L2. Win% 20%.
* ↑ Ian Sampson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ Gary Johnson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
* ↑ David Lee's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
* ↑ Tim Flowers' managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
* ↑ Aidy Boothroyd's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
* ↑ Andy King's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
* ↑ Chris Wilder's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
* ↑ Rob Page's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
* ↑ Justin Edinburgh's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
* ↑ Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
* ↑ Austin initially took over as caretaker before being officially appointed as manager at the end of the 2017–18 season. Record as caretaker P5 W2 D1 L2. Win% 40%.
* ↑ Dean Austin's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
* ↑ Keith Curle's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
* ↑ Brady initially took over as caretaker before being officially appointed as manager before the final game of the 2020–21 season. Record as caretaker P19 W5 D5 L9. Win% 26.3%.
* ↑ Jon Brady's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
* ↑ Ian Sampson's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
* ↑ Kevin Nolan's managerial stats Soccerbase. Retrieved 23 December 2024.