The before and after records of our last five managers (excluding caretakers) doesn't make pretty reading:
Lee Sinnott
Previous managerial job: sacked by BPA
Next managerial job: none
Neil Tolson
Previous managerial job: sacked by Hyde
Next managerial job: none
Neil Young
Previous managerial job: sacked by Stockport
Next managerial job: none
Jim Harvey
Previous managerial job: sacked by Halifax
Next managerial job: none
Matt Doughty
Previous managerial job: none
Next managerial job: N/A
That's why I'm quite pleased we've gone for someone like Parkinson. It makes a refreshing change to employ a up-and-coming manager on the back of relative success elsewhere, rather than one on the way down. Hopefully he will, eventually, go on to even better things after doing a good job here too.
Incidentally, when was the last time an Alty manager left us to go on to a 'better' job? I've been watching over 25 years and can't think of one during that period, unless I'm missing someone really obvious.
Anyway, his first target must be to break the curse of the 'first game' as an Alty manager. Again I might be missing someone really obvious, but I don't think an Alty manager has won their first game in charge for nearly 15 years? In fact, Neil Young could hold the record as the only Alty manager, of the seven different managers during that time, who didn't lose their first game in charge?