Ex-Sunderland, Burnley and Nottingham Forest figure seals emotional return to boyhood club

Former Sunderland assistant Steve Cotterill has returned to his hometown club Cheltenham Town as manager, more than two decades after his first spell in charge.

Cotterill, 61, is widely regarded as the most successful boss in the Robins’ history, having overseen a remarkable five-year period between 1997 and 2002 that delivered three promotions and an FA Trophy triumph. His achievements transformed Cheltenham from non-league hopefuls into an established Football League outfit.

Now, 23 years on from his departure, he is back in the dugout at the club where his managerial reputation was forged. Speaking after his reappointment was confirmed this week, Cotterill admitted the role has never been far from his thoughts.

“Cheltenham Town will always be in my heart,” Cotterill said. “I would know most weeks within an hour of the game ending wherever I've been, how have Cheltenham got on, who's their team, that hasn't ever left me. When I'm not working, I've been down at the EV Charger Points Stadium to watch games. Other times when the job's been up – I've had plenty of conversations over the years – there's always been an interest. It's probably boiled down [this time] to me being a Cheltenham boy.”

Cotterill took his first training session on Tuesday and said he was “chuffed” to pull the club jersey back on after being announced as manager for the second time.mThe challenge, however, is a steep one. Cheltenham are bottom of League Two with just one win from 10 matches. Their goal difference is also a major concern, with only four scored and 24 conceded, making them the division’s lowest scorers and most porous defence.

The club’s recent takeover by former Burnley chairman Mike Garlick has at least steadied the long-term outlook, but Cotterill stressed there is no quick fix: “This summer has been really challenging, probably challenging for Mike to get it [the takeover] ticked off by the FA. Challenging for the rest of the board waiting for Mike. It's almost like the club was on pause for a little while.”

A long injury list is compounding matters. Defenders Robbie Cundy and Ibrahim Bakare, midfielder Harrison Sohna and winger Jordan Thomas are all sidelined. Cotterill admitted that the situation may force him into the free-agent market: “We need a bit of luck with injuries. Last night, when I had an update on where the injuries actually are and their timeframes, that certainly wasn't a good conversation,” he said.

To support his rebuild, Cotterill has moved quickly to assemble his backroom staff. Rob Edwards will join him as assistant manager, while Russell Milton takes on the role of chief scout alongside Keith Burt. For Sunderland supporters, Cotterill is a familiar name. He briefly worked at the Stadium of Light during the 2002-03 Premier League season, brought in by Howard Wilkinson as an assistant.

It was a turbulent campaign that saw the Black Cats relegated, yet Cotterill’s career would continue to flourish with senior managerial posts at Stoke City, Burnley, Nottingham Forest, Bristol City, Birmingham City and Shrewsbury Town.

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He has faced triumph and adversity in equal measure. At Shrewsbury, he masterminded impressive results against promotion contenders, but his time in charge was interrupted after he contracted severe COVID-19 and pneumonia, spending more than a month in intensive care before bravely returning to the touchline.

More recently, Cotterill was appointed by Forest Green Rovers, narrowly missing out on promotion back to the EFL in 2024-25 before his dismissal earlier this year. Now, in returning to Cheltenham, he finds himself back at the club where his story truly began. “I’ve had conversations before when the job’s come up, but this time it all just aligned,” Cotterill said. “It’s about me being a Cheltenham boy, and I’m delighted to be back.”

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