Ex-Sunderland, West Ham, Middlesbrough, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday man joins League Two club

Former three-time Sunderland caretaker manager Robbie Stockdale has bagged himself a new role in the EFL.

Stockdale joined Sunderland back in 2012 and worked with the likes of Kevin Ball, Gus Poyet, Sam Allardyce and Dick Advocaat during his tenure at the club. The coach also stepped up to take the first team on three occasions after managerial sackings in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

Stockdale left Sunderland in 2018 after the arrival of new owners Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven and has since worked under Paul Heckinbottom at Hibernian in Scotland. Stockdale also reunited with Allardyce at West Brom before taking his first steps into management with Rochdale in 2021.

Spells on the coaching staff at MK Dons, Hull City and Gillingham followed before Stockdale was appointed head coach at League Two club Barrow last week. The 44-year-old also played for Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham during his career.

Speaking about his appointment at Barrow on the club’s website, Stockdale said: “It was quite a quick process really. Stephen gave me a ring late last week and having worked with him at Gillingham, I felt we did a good job there and I’m looking forward to doing a good job here.

“I’ve coached against Stephen while he was working with Steve Bruce and while I was working with David Moyes and Sam Allardyce. We also did our pro-licence together and worked together last season, so it’s been a long-time relationship and I think we complement each other really well.”