Premier League managers who managed the most different clubs

Last Updated on 27 January 2026

2026 has seen multiple Premier League clubs change their managers suggesting longevity in Premier League management is rare. Even rarer is longevity across multiple clubs, which is why this list is no small feat.

While most managers are remembered for one defining spell, a select few became familiar faces up and down the division. They are trusted by chairmen to fix problems, steady chaos, or simply guide through the chaos.

These are the Premier League managers who moved around the most, instead they were not tourists, but repeat hires in the league’s most unforgiving environment. Counting down from the five-club managers to the standalone Premier League legend with nine clubs.

3) The five-club veterans – Harry Redknapp, Steve Bruce and Alan Pardew

There’s a small group of managers who each took charge of five different Premier League clubs, becoming fixtures of the league from the late 1990s through the 2010s.

The list starts with Harry Redknapp. Nicknamed “Houdini” for his survival acts, Redknapp built a reputation as the ultimate fixer. He rescued clubs from relegation, won the FA Cup with Portsmouth, and reached his peak at Tottenham by guiding them into the Champions League.

Uniquely, he was relegated with Southampton while lifting silverware with their fiercest South Coast rivals.

Another name on the list is Steve Bruce with five clubs. Bruce became synonymous with the Premier League’s “yo-yo” ecosystem. Reliable, pragmatic, and defensively minded, he repeatedly took clubs up, kept them stable, and moved on.

He managed the likes of Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, Sunderland, Hull City, and Newcastle United.

And, the final manager on the list is Alan Pardew. Pardew’s career was defined by extremes. He oversaw Newcastle’s improbable fifth-place finish in 2012 and led Crystal Palace to an FA Cup final, yet many of his tenures ended abruptly amid controversy. High highs, sharp exits.

2) The six-club specialists – Mark Hughes and Roy Hodgson

Only two managers have taken charge of six different Premier League clubs, both leaving behind long, varied resumes built on adaptability and endurance.

Mark Hughes was in charge during a pivotal moment in Premier League history. He oversaw Manchester City’s transition into a post-takeover power.

Later, he reinvented Stoke City’s image, shifting them away from long-ball stereotypes into a more technical, possession-based side, earning the nickname “Stokelona.”

He also managed Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, QPR, and Southampton to varying degrees of success.

The other manager on the list is Roy Hodgson and his range was unmatched. He took Fulham to a Europa League final, managed Liverpool during a turbulent period, and became a stabilising force at Crystal Palace well into his 70s.

Wherever calm and structure were needed, Hodgson was trusted. He was also given charge of Blackburn Rovers, Watford and West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League era.

1) The record holder with nine clubs: Sam Allardyce

No one comes close, Sam Allardyce stands alone as the Premier League manager who has taken charge of the most different clubs, nine in total.

The list includes Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United, and Blackburn Rovers. He was also in the dugout for West Ham United, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, and Everton. While, West Bromwich Albion, and Leeds United were also managed by Allardyce.

His most iconic spell came at Bolton, where he turned them into European contenders. Elsewhere, Allardyce became football’s ultimate emergency service overseeing Sunderland’s great escape, Everton’s mid-season revival, Palace’s safety mission.

Allardyce’s legacy isn’t about trophies or aesthetics, instead it’s about trust. For over two decades, when clubs were spiralling toward the Championship, chairmen made the same call. He was English football’s fireman, and no manager was summoned more often.