25-UP FOR SIXFIELDS - Full list of the Northampton Town gaffers from 1994-2019

There are always plenty of comings and goings at any football club, and it is no different at the Cobblers.
Chris WilderChris Wilder
Chris Wilder

Players come and go, staff come and go, even supporters come and go, and of course managers come and go - and in Town's case that has perhaps happened a bit too frequently during their time at Sixfields.

This week marked the 25th anniversary of the move from the County Ground to the current Cobblers home on Walter Tull Way.

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Earlier in the week we took a look back at some of the key games from that time, and today we take a look at the men who have been in charge of the team across those 25 years.

Record as Cobblers boss: P 22 W 7 D 6 L 9. Final game in charge: Dec 27, 1994: Cobblers 2 Chesterfield 3Record as Cobblers boss: P 22 W 7 D 6 L 9. Final game in charge: Dec 27, 1994: Cobblers 2 Chesterfield 3
Record as Cobblers boss: P 22 W 7 D 6 L 9. Final game in charge: Dec 27, 1994: Cobblers 2 Chesterfield 3

And it might comes as something of a surprise as to just how many managers the Cobblers have had since John Barnwell took charge of that 1-1 draw with Barnet on October 15, 1994.

The fact is that the current manager, Keith Curle, is the 18th permanent manager appointed by the club in the past 25 years.

Add in caretaker managers who have been in charge for at least one game, and that number rises to a hefty 25!

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It has to be said though, the Cobblers has always had a pretty high turnover of 'gaffers', with the 18 permanent appointments prior to Barnwell stretching back a modest 40 years to Dave Smith taking over from Bob Dennison in July, 1954.

Record as Cobblers boss: P 248 W 89 D72 L87. Won promotion through play-offs in 1997. Final game in charge: Oct 2, 1999 - Cobblers 0 Rochdale 1Record as Cobblers boss: P 248 W 89 D72 L87. Won promotion through play-offs in 1997. Final game in charge: Oct 2, 1999 - Cobblers 0 Rochdale 1
Record as Cobblers boss: P 248 W 89 D72 L87. Won promotion through play-offs in 1997. Final game in charge: Oct 2, 1999 - Cobblers 0 Rochdale 1

Perhaps it should be a revolving door on that manager's office?

Interestingly. of the 18 managers of the past 25 years. six of them (Ian Atkins, Kevin Wilson, Colin Calderwood. Stuart Gray, Aidy Boothroyd and Chris Wilder) account for 16 years and four months of that quarter of a century.

That means the other 12 managers between them have lasted for a grand total of eight years and eight months... with an average shelf life of about eight months and 21 days.

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Keith Curle is already ahead of that particular curve as he has been in the hot seat for more than a year already, so he must be doing something right!

Record as joint bosses: P 5 W 2 D 1 L 2. Final game in charge: Oct 30, 1999 (FA Cup) - Shrewsbury 2 Cobblers 1Record as joint bosses: P 5 W 2 D 1 L 2. Final game in charge: Oct 30, 1999 (FA Cup) - Shrewsbury 2 Cobblers 1
Record as joint bosses: P 5 W 2 D 1 L 2. Final game in charge: Oct 30, 1999 (FA Cup) - Shrewsbury 2 Cobblers 1

For the record, the longest-serving permanent manager of the Sixfields era is Ian Atkins (4 years, 10 months), while the shortest serving is of course Terry Fenwick, who couldn't even last seven games (48 days).

Anyway, here is a list of all the 18 permanent Cobblers managers since the club's move in 1994, how long they lasted and how successful they were, as well as a sprinkling of caretakers - who invariably did not do very well.

David Lee anyone?