The New Manager - The Candidates - The Next 5

By Nathan Jackson
October 17 2007

In the search for a new manager, we bring you 5 more candidates including Mike Newell, a manager who's been promoted with both of the clubs he's managed, not a bad record at all that. Also included in this list is a former Mansfield manager, the manager who succeeded Newell as Hartlepool manager, another former City manager and a manager who never lost to the Imps as a manager.

Mike Newell has been out of work since he criticised a female referee's assistant during last season. He left Luton Town just a few short months are winning the League One title at a canter.

That came in his second season as the Luton boss and his only other job was at Hartlepool during the 2002/3. He took over from Chris Turner (who went to Sheffield Wednesday) and although they threw away the title, Hartlepool were still promoted a long time before the season ended.

His winning percentage record is very impressive, winning 42% of his matches in management, losing 25% and drawing the remaining games. Based on that record he stands a good chance of being right up there with the most successful managers of those who are likely to apply.

To quote a board member, Keith Curle is "a man who applies for any and every job going" so you can guarantee his CV was sat on Steff Wright's desk within an hour of the two Johns leaving.

He made the Playoff Final with Mansfield in his first full year of management, but his record since then has been pretty woeful, being in charge as Chester and Torquay both found themselves at the wrong end of the table (although in his defence, Torquay were already down there when he took over).

He has managed 158 games in just under 5 years, winning 33.5% of those games, however his losing perecentage is 43% and that would worry virtually any Football League club, and quite frankly we can do better.

Neale Cooper took over Hartlepool in 2003/4 and they were cast as relegation favourites. Much like Keith Alexander he defied critics and were 3 minutes from making the League One Playoff Final. He left Pools a game before they qualified for another Playoffs campaign the following year.

His record at Gillingham was slightly less impressive, but his general record is quite decent. In 431 games of management he has won a very respectable 42.9% of his games, losing 29.2%.

Overall I don't think he would be a bad choice, especially as he was the man that gave Adam Boyd his first extended run in the Hartlepool first team. However, he hasn't managed for 2 years and would probably take time to adjust back into the life of Football League management.

If Steve Thompson doesn't apply then everyone would be extremely surprised. The former Imps boss got sacked by Notts County on Tuesday and is believed to have immediately sent his CV off to the Imps.

In 247 games in management, he has won a relatively low 35.2% of his games and was extremely unpopular at Notts County.

I'll be honest, I would be EXTREMELY disappointed if the job was offered to Thompson.

Then we get to Leroy Rosenior, a manager who has never lost a game to Lincoln City. He turned Torquay from constant relegation fodder into a surprise promotion chasing side back a few years ago and even managed to get the Gulls promoted to League One.

However, since then he has had a very poor record, including turning Brentford from a side who made 2 straight League One playoffs into a side that crashed out of League One last season.

232 games in management sees him with just a 31.4% winning record, the lowest out of these 5 managers and the lowest out of any manager mentioned so far.

To be honest, there's more chance of you looking out of the window right now and seeing Hitler on the broomstick than Leroy's got of being Lincoln City manager anytime soon.