Russell Slade

21st December 2016 – 5th March 2017

The 2016-17 season was a disaster for the Sky Blues. Tony Mowbray resigned at the end of September and his assistant Mark Venus took over as caretaker manager. There was little improvement through the autumn and four days before Christmas Russell Slade was appointed. His first game at Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day ended in a 4-1 defeat and things didn’t get much better.

Although he steered City to the EFL (Checkatrade) Trophy final with victories over Brighton under 21s, Swansea under 21s (on penalties) and Wycombe Wanderers, he failed to win any of his first nine league games. Gillingham were the only side slayed by Slade in a league game but by that time they were 11 points adrift of safety and relegation to League Two was a formality. Following a 0-0 draw at Shrewsbury on 4th March, after just 76 days in charge, he was shown the door. It could be argued that Russell Slade did achieve something to warrant City fans showing him some love. He left the club with a date at Wembley to look forward to. 40,000 Sky Blues had a wonderful day beneath the Arch as the EFL (Checkatrade) Trophy was won.

As a player Slade’s peak was playing for Notts County reserves while before coming into coaching he taught P.E. at a Nottingham school from where he commenced coaching with the Meadow Lane club in 1993 when he was 33. His first taste of management came as caretaker manager at County in 1994 before relinquishing the role to Howard Kendall and stepping back to be assistant. He dropped into non-league football before becoming Kendall’s assistant at Sheffield United in 1997. When Kendall was sacked the following year just prior to an FA Cup quarter final with the Sky Blues Russell took charge of the team for the 1-1 draw at Highfield Road but was replaced by Steve Thompson before the replay.

There followed successful spells at non-league Scarborough and Grimsby Town – he took the Mariners to a play-off final – before a move to Yeovil Town. He steered the Glovers to a play-off final after beating Nottingham Forest in a dramatic semi final. There were play-off tears again as Yeovil lost to Blackpool but Russell was named League 1 Manager of the Year.

His next stop was Brighton, then in League 1, where he succeeded Micky Adams, but he failed to bring success to the seaside club and lasted only eight months. From April 2010 he had a four-year spell at Leyton Orient including an excellent season in 2013-14 when having led the League 1 table for most of the season they slipped at the end and lost a play-off final to Rotherham. Two seasons at Championship club Cardiff saw the Bluebirds finish 11th and 8th but he left to join Charlton in the summer of 2016. There were just four wins in 16 games with the Addicks before a swift end to Russell’s reign and five weeks later he was offered the Coventry job.

After leaving the Sky Blues Russell returned to Grimsby, then in League 2, but in February 2019 after a run of 12 games without a win and relegation to the National League looming, he was sacked.

Joined: 21st December 2016
First game: 26th December 2016 v Bristol Rovers, away, League One, lost 1-4

Left: 5th March 2017
Last game: 4th March 2017 v Shrewsbury Town, away, League One, drew 0-0

16 games as manager

	Lge	Pl	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Win %	Pos
2016-17	Lge 1	13	1	4	8	11	24	7	7.6	24th

Checkatrade Trophy: 3 games (2 wins, 1 draw – won on pens)