Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United in 2006jejsiisjs
Alex Ferguson won a record 13 league championships from 1993 to 2013 as manager of Manchester United.

The top level of the English football league system from its formation in 1888 was the Football League, until the introduction of a Second Division in 1892 when it became known as the Football League First Division.[1] This remained the top level of English football until 1992 when it was replaced by the Premier League.[2][3] The role of the manager is to select the squad during the league season, develop the tactics of the team and manage potential issues within the squad. Due to the prestige of winning the league championship, the pressures on managers to succeed can be great.[4]

William Sudell managed Preston North End to the inaugural championship in 1888–89, which they retained the following season, with Suddell becoming the first manager to win multiple championships.[5] Since then, a further 24 managers have won the championship on more than one occasion. Alex Ferguson won 13 league championships as manager of Manchester United, which is the most a manager has won.[6] George Ramsay and Bob Paisley won six league championships as managers of Aston Villa and Liverpool respectively. Nine managers — Ted Drake, Bill Nicholson, Alf Ramsey, Joe Mercer, Dave Mackay, Bob Paisley, Howard Kendall, Kenny Dalglish and George Graham – have won the championship as a player and a manager.[7] Dalglish is the only one to have won the championship as a player-manager, a feat he achieved in the 1985–86, 1987–88 and 1989–90 seasons.[8]

English managers have won the most championships, with a total of 58 championships won by 38 different managers. Scottish managers are next with 37 championships won by 10 different managers and Spanish managers are third with five titles all won by Pep Guardiola. The last English manager to win the championship was Howard Wilkinson, who led Leeds United to victory in the 1991–92 season.[9] Arsène Wenger became the first manager from outside the British Isles to win the championship when he guided Arsenal to the 1997–98 Premier League title.[10] Manuel Pellegrini became the first manager from outside of Europe to win the championship when he guided Manchester City to the 2013–14 Premier League title.[11]

Managers

George Ramsay in 1905
A plaque of Bob Paisley
Pep Guardiola in 2017
George Ramsay (left) and Bob Paisley (centre) won six league championships as managers of Aston Villa and Liverpool respectively. Pep Guardiola (right) is the most recent manager to have won the league championship.
English football championship-winning managers[12][13]
Season Nationality Manager Club Ref.
1888–89  England William Sudell Preston North End [14]
1889–90  England William Sudell Preston North End [14]
1890–91  England Dick Molyneux Everton [15]
1891–92  England Tom Watson Sunderland [16]
1892–93  England Tom Watson Sunderland [16]
1893–94  Scotland George Ramsay Aston Villa [17]
1894–95  England Tom Watson Sunderland [16]
1895–96  Scotland George Ramsay Aston Villa [17]
1896–97  Scotland George Ramsay Aston Villa [17]
1897–98  England Joseph Wostinholm Sheffield United [18]
1898–99  Scotland George Ramsay Aston Villa [17]
1899–1900  Scotland George Ramsay Aston Villa [17]
1900–01  England Tom Watson Liverpool [16]
1901–02  Scotland Alex Mackie Sunderland [19]
1902–03  England Arthur Dickinson The Wednesday [20]
1903–04  England Arthur Dickinson The Wednesday [20]
1904–05  Scotland Frank Watt Newcastle United [21]
1905–06  England Tom Watson Liverpool [16]
1906–07  Scotland Frank Watt Newcastle United [21]
1907–08  England Ernest Mangnall Manchester United [22]
1908–09  Scotland Frank Watt Newcastle United [21]
1909–10  Scotland George Ramsay Aston Villa [17]
1910–11  England Ernest Mangnall Manchester United [22]
1911–12  England Robert Middleton Blackburn Rovers [23]
1912–13  Ireland Bob Kyle Sunderland [24]
1913–14  England Robert Middleton Blackburn Rovers [23]
1914–15  England Will Cuff Everton [25]
1915–19[a] — — — —
1919–20  England Fred Everiss West Bromwich Albion [27]
1920–21  England John Haworth Burnley [28]
1921–22  England David Ashworth Liverpool [29]
1922–23  Scotland Matt McQueen Liverpool [30]
1923–24  England Herbert Chapman Huddersfield Town [31]
1924–25  England Herbert Chapman Huddersfield Town [31]
1925–26  England Cecil Potter Huddersfield Town [32]
1926–27  Scotland Frank Watt Newcastle United [21]
1927–28  England Thomas H. McIntosh Everton [33]
1928–29  England Robert Brown The Wednesday [34]
1929–30  England Robert Brown The Wednesday [34]
1930–31  England Herbert Chapman Arsenal [31]
1931–32  England Thomas H. McIntosh Everton [33]
1932–33  England Herbert Chapman Arsenal [31]
1933–34  England Joe Shaw (caretaker) Arsenal [35][36]
1934–35  England George Allison Arsenal [37]
1935–36  Scotland Johnny Cochrane Sunderland [38]
1936–37  England Wilf Wild Manchester City [39]
1937–38  England George Allison Arsenal [37]
1938–39  England Theo Kelly Everton [40]
1939–46[b] — — — —
1946–47  England George Kay Liverpool [42]
1947–48  England Tom Whittaker Arsenal [43]
1948–49  England Bob Jackson Portsmouth [44]
1949–50  England Bob Jackson Portsmouth [44]
1950–51  England Arthur Rowe Tottenham Hotspur [45]
1951–52  Scotland Matt Busby Manchester United [46]
1952–53  England Tom Whittaker Arsenal [43]
1953–54  England Stan Cullis Wolverhampton Wanderers [47]
1954–55  England Ted Drake Chelsea [48]
1955–56  Scotland Matt Busby Manchester United [46]
1956–57  Scotland Matt Busby Manchester United [46]
1957–58  England Stan Cullis Wolverhampton Wanderers [47]
1958–59  England Stan Cullis Wolverhampton Wanderers [47]
1959–60  England Harry Potts Burnley [49]
1960–61  England Bill Nicholson Tottenham Hotspur [50]
1961–62  England Alf Ramsey Ipswich Town [51]
1962–63  England Harry Catterick Everton [52]
1963–64  Scotland Bill Shankly Liverpool [53]
1964–65  Scotland Matt Busby Manchester United [46]
1965–66  Scotland Bill Shankly Liverpool [53]
1966–67  Scotland Matt Busby Manchester United [46]
1967–68  England Joe Mercer Manchester City [54]
1968–69  England Don Revie Leeds United [55]
1969–70  England Harry Catterick Everton [52]
1970–71  England Bertie Mee Arsenal [56]
1971–72  England Brian Clough Derby County [57]
1972–73  Scotland Bill Shankly Liverpool [53]
1973–74  England Don Revie Leeds United [55]
1974–75  Scotland Dave Mackay Derby County [58]
1975–76  England Bob Paisley Liverpool [59]
1976–77  England Bob Paisley Liverpool [59]
1977–78  England Brian Clough Nottingham Forest [57]
1978–79  England Bob Paisley Liverpool [59]
1979–80  England Bob Paisley Liverpool [59]
1980–81  England Ron Saunders Aston Villa [60]
1981–82  England Bob Paisley Liverpool [59]
1982–83  England Bob Paisley Liverpool [59]
1983–84  England Joe Fagan Liverpool [61]
1984–85  England Howard Kendall Everton [62]
1985–86  Scotland Kenny Dalglish Liverpool [63]
1986–87  England Howard Kendall Everton [62]
1987–88  Scotland Kenny Dalglish Liverpool [63]
1988–89  Scotland George Graham Arsenal [64]
1989–90  Scotland Kenny Dalglish Liverpool [63]
1990–91  Scotland George Graham Arsenal [64]
1991–92  England Howard Wilkinson Leeds United [65]
1992–93  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
1993–94  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
1994–95  Scotland Kenny Dalglish Blackburn Rovers [67]
1995–96  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
1996–97  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
1997–98  France Arsène Wenger Arsenal [68]
1998–99  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
1999–2000  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
2000–01  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
2001–02  France Arsène Wenger Arsenal [68]
2002–03  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
2003–04  France Arsène Wenger Arsenal [68]
2004–05  Portugal José Mourinho Chelsea [69]
2005–06  Portugal José Mourinho Chelsea [69]
2006–07  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
2007–08  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
2008–09  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
2009–10  Italy Carlo Ancelotti Chelsea [70]
2010–11  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
2011–12  Italy Roberto Mancini Manchester City [71]
2012–13  Scotland Alex Ferguson Manchester United [66]
2013–14  Chile Manuel Pellegrini Manchester City [72]
2014–15  Portugal José Mourinho Chelsea [69]
2015–16  Italy Claudio Ranieri Leicester City [73]
2016–17  Italy Antonio Conte Chelsea [74]
2017–18  Spain Pep Guardiola Manchester City [75]
2018–19  Spain Pep Guardiola Manchester City [75]
2019–20  Germany Jürgen Klopp Liverpool [76]
2020–21  Spain Pep Guardiola Manchester City [75]
2021–22  Spain Pep Guardiola Manchester City [75]
2022–23  Spain Pep Guardiola Manchester City [77]

By individual

Key
* Manager is currently active
English football championship-winning managers by individual
Rank Manager Titles Club(s) Winning seasons
1 Alex Ferguson
13
 Manchester United 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
2 George Ramsay
6
 Aston Villa 1893–94, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1898–99, 1899–1900, 1909–10
Bob Paisley Liverpool 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83
4 Tom Watson
5
 Sunderland, Liverpool 1891–92, 1892–93, 1894–95, 1900–01, 1905–06
Matt Busby Manchester United 1951–52, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67
Pep Guardiola * Manchester City 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
7 Frank Watt
4
 Newcastle United 1904–05, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1926–27
Herbert Chapman Huddersfield Town, Arsenal 1923–24, 1924–25, 1930–31, 1932–33
Kenny Dalglish Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1994–95
10 Stan Cullis
3
 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59
Bill Shankly Liverpool 1963–64, 1965–66, 1972–73
Arsène Wenger Arsenal 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04
José Mourinho * Chelsea 2004–05, 2005–06, 2014–15
14 Arthur Dickinson
2
 The Wednesday 1902–03, 1903–04
Ernest Mangnall Manchester United 1907–08, 1910–11
Robert Middleton Blackburn Rovers 1911–12, 1913–14
Thomas H. McIntosh Everton 1927–28, 1931–32
Robert Brown Sheffield Wednesday 1928–29, 1929–30
George Allison Arsenal 1934–35, 1937–38
Tom Whittaker Arsenal 1947–48, 1952–53
Bob Jackson Portsmouth 1948–49, 1949–50
Harry Catterick Everton 1962–63, 1969–70
Don Revie Leeds United 1968–69, 1973–74
Brian Clough Derby County, Nottingham Forest 1971–72, 1977–78
Howard Kendall Everton 1984–85, 1986–87
George Graham Arsenal 1988–89, 1990–91

Won the League as a player and a manager

Managers who won the league as player and a manager[7]
Name Player club(s) Player season(s) Manager club(s) Manager season(s)
Ted Drake Arsenal 1934–35, 1937–38 Chelsea 1954–55
Bill Nicholson Tottenham Hotspur 1950–51 Tottenham Hotspur 1960–61
Alf Ramsey Tottenham Hotspur 1950–51 Ipswich Town 1961–62
Joe Mercer Everton, Arsenal 1938–39, 1947–48, 1952–53 Manchester City 1967–68
Dave Mackay Tottenham Hotspur 1960–61 Derby County 1974–75
Bob Paisley Liverpool 1946–47 Liverpool 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83
Howard Kendall Everton 1969–70 Everton 1984–85, 1986–87
Kenny Dalglish Liverpool 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86 Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1994–95
George Graham Arsenal 1970–71 Arsenal 1988–89, 1990–91

By nationality

Country Managers Total
 England 38 65
 Scotland 11 41
 Spain 1 5
 Italy 4 4
 France 1 3
 Portugal 1 3
 Ireland 1 1
 Chile 1 1
 Germany 1 1

Notes

  1. ^ No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 due to the First World War.[26]
  2. ^ In September 1939 first-class football was suspended due to the Second World War, with the 1939–40 league table voided and regional competitions contested instead.[41]

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Bibliography

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