Forest Green Rovers announce former Burnley and Portsmouth man as new manager- following links with ex-Blackpool boss

Forest Green Rovers have appointed Steve Cotterill as their new manager.

By Amos Wynn

Published 25th Jan 2024, 10:56 GMT

Steve Cotterill has been appointed Forest Green manager (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

The former Burnley, Portsmouth and Nottingham Forest manager replaces Troy Deeney, who was sacked last week after just six games in charge at the New Lawn.

Cotterill will be the League Two strugglers’ third head coach of the season, after they started the campaign with David Horseman, before dismissing him in December following their 3-0 defeat to Blackpool in the FA Cup.

Among the 59-year-old’s ranks at Forest Green is Seasiders wing-back Dominic Thompson, who has recently joined the Gloucestershire club on loan for the remainder of the season, and has started their last two games.

Ex-Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers and Bradford City boss Gary Bowyer had been linked with the job at the New Lawn in the last week, and was the bookies’ favourite for a period before the odds turned in favour of Cotterill- whose last job was with Shrewsbury Town.