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Bristol City Seeks New Coach After Hodgson Exit

5/18/2026

Summary

Bristol City Coach Search

Bristol City announced it will appoint a new head coach after Roy Hodgson (former head coach) departed.
Ellis (sporting director) is charged with finding Hodgson’s successor and managing the summer transfer window.
Season-ticket renewal must be completed by 2 pm on Tuesday, May 26.
The Championship fixture list will be released at 12 pm on Thursday, June 25.
Players will begin pre-season training at the start of July.

Summary

Ellis Becomes Director

James Ellis becomes Bristol City’s sporting director for the 2026/27 season.
He left Arsenal earlier this year after joining from Fulham in 2021 as head of recruitment.
Ellis will oversee coaching, recruitment, performance, medical services and the academy.
He has met with several head-coach candidates and is advising the board.
Roy Hodgson coached the final seven games at the Robins High Performance Centre, setting standards praised by staff.

History

Historical Context

In September 1996 Arsenal hired Frenchman Arsène Wenger, the Premier League’s first foreign manager, whose global scouting and sports-science methods produced a league-and-cup double in 1998 and a 49-match unbeaten run. His success sparked a trend of data-driven recruitment that English clubs now emulate; in 2026 Bristol City appointed James Ellis as sporting director to oversee coaching, scouting and medical services, echoing Wenger’s restructuring.

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Bristol City Coach Search

Bristol City announced it will appoint a new head coach after Roy Hodgson (former head coach) departed.
Ellis (sporting director) is charged with finding Hodgson’s successor and managing the summer transfer window.
Season-ticket renewal must be completed by 2 pm on Tuesday, May 26.
The Championship fixture list will be released at 12 pm on Thursday, June 25.
Players will begin pre-season training at the start of July.

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