Since I have been around and watching United, my take on our ex managers ongoing careers (after leaving us) with marks (I've not included caretkaers with less than 10 total games such as Carver and Slade):
Billy McEwan - resigned with us in the do do and went to Rotherham where he had success in winning the 4th division title. had a poor managerial record after this at Darlo, York and Mansfield but had a successful and long spell on the coaching staff at Derby County. The fact that he won a league title after he left us means he did ok I suppose.
C-
Dave Bassett - After leaving us following a disastrous start to the 96/96 season, he took over at Palace who were lower mid table and went about transforming them into losing play off finalists.
He then went to Forest in the Prem who got relegated but he took them back up at the first time of asking - before being sacked again in the top division. He again had initial success at Barnsley taking them to a play off final before struggling. He then went to Leicester in the Prem and was relegated - became director of football with Mickey Adams as manager (shudder) and took them up surprisingly. He has had consultant roles mainly since then at Leeds and back with us but a bit like Warnock - has had success at tier 2 level but got found out in the modern game at Prem level.
C+
Howard Kendall -Left us under a cloud to join Everton in the close season after losing the previous years play off final. His return to Everton was meant to be the signal for success, instead he endured a horrible season with the Merseyside club, again luckily avoiding relegation on the last day of the season and not meeting expectations which led to him leaving after just one season. He went to Greece and didn't do much after which is surprising given how he had turned around United and got us playing some brilliant football.
Indeed our spell under him in the second half of his first season where we just seemed to win every week was about the most enjoyment and confidence in winning I had while watching United until last season.
D -
Nigel Spackman - His managerial career started on a high and went downhill faster than Oblivion at Alton Towers once Willy Donachie left as his assistant.
Similarly disastrous spells ensued at Barnsley and Millwall where he was sacked with them both in deep strife.
F
Steve Thompson - Got us to a Semi and limped into the play offs post the January fire sale, where in the play off semi we were unlucky to lose to a rampant, quality Sunderland side over two legs.
After leaving us he went to Cambridge where he relegated them to the conference. He had another poor spell at Notts County, taking a fancied side to a mid table finish before being sacked following an awful start to the following season.
F
Steve Bruce - horrible greedy manager who has zero loyalty and has left several clubs in the lurch on order to move onto a new job before the club he was at started to go to pot. Left us for Huddersfield where he was sacked. Then did a decent job at Wigan but left them after 3 months to take over at Palace - stated ok with them but left them again after three months to go to Birmingham. At Birmingham he got them promoted via the play offs then had success in the top division. was relegated but then got them straight back up - albeit with a big budget - before again jumping ship to go back to Wigan. He did well there then jumped ship to Sunderland where initially he did well before being sacked.
He then went to Hull where he got them promoted and got them to an FA Cup final the following season (lucky buggers). then followed a relegation before another victory a Wembley that was much better for us got them promoted again. He then jumped ship to Villa where he has had a massive budget but failed last season, and is not going to get auto promotion this season. Despite his lack of loyalty and the budgets he has been given - there are several managers who have failed to get promotion with bigger budgets and his record number of tier two promotions cannot merely be dismissed. I'd give him an unclassified as a person but from a purely results basis, he has to have a
B-
Adrian Heath - Crap for us then did lots of work as a number 2 with middling success. Has gone to America to manage in the MLS and managed to get sacked from Orlando. Currently manager at
WalthamstowBlade's local club - but not pulling up any trees by all accounts. I think it's fair to say that getting sacked from the MLS leaves you in pretty much
E- territory.
Warnock - can't argue with what he did for Palace, QPR and Rotherham all at Championship level - but a bit like our other former mangers above (and Bassett post us) he has never been able to crack the Premier League where his tactics are more often than not found out. No denying though that at Championship level - there are few managers better than him when it comes to delivering results - albeit the methods can often leave a sour taste and not much legacy once promotion is achieved. Might as well start a
Pinchy 'quote-athon' on an ex manager's list - so him, he likes the championship him.
C+
Bryan Robson - what a cunt.
U
Kevin Blackwell - After us, where he did his usual successful start before reverting to horrible hoof and awful recruitment and leaving a club in the mire (replicating his spells at Luton and Leeds) he went onto Bury where he didn't even have the grace to start well. Now back as Warnock's lacky - doing what he does best as hoof meister second in command.
Pinchy's favourite semi professional goalkeeper turned manager I believe.
G
Gary Speed - Was doing a good job with Wales before his untimely demise. Who knows what would have happened but he certainly sowed the seeds that led to their success at the last Euros. unfair to mark him in the circumstances.
Mickey Adams - After his awful tenure at The Lane, went back to Port Vale but was unable to do anything of note with the club going into administration and was eventually sacked. Went to Tranmere and initially saw an upturn in form but then left the club bottom of the league and about to drop out of the football league for the first time.
F
David Weir - Went to be Mark Warburton's assistant where he had success at Brentford then mixed fortunes at Rangers and Forest - suspect he will end up with Warburton when he gets a chance at another club but hasn't done anything of note as a number one.
U
Nigel Clough - Back at Burton he did a decent job to get them over the line having had more than half a season in charge in their league one promotion year - albeit they were top when he took over. Then did a wonderful job to keep them up last season but I can't see that being repeated this. He is a manager who, with a small budget and low expectations will do well given his defensive tactics and low budget recruitment of quantity over quality. Can't say he's done a poor job at the Brewers though
C+
Nigel Adkins - Only just back into management at Hull and looks like keeping them up - though my Hull supporting mate says it is the most boring, defensive football he has ever seen and his press conferences continue to be mind numbing positive business spin that must be giving WHF a semi on wherever he may have laid his hat these days. I'll give the orange idiot a consolatory
D-
So yeah - all very subjective, but with four promotions from the Championship and an F A Cup final appearance I think Bruce has to be our most successful 'Ex Manager' since McEwan. So yeah - they've all been a bit shit.
