Ex-Portsmouth, Burnley and Nottingham Forest manager set to lose job - with Robbie Savage reportedly replacing him
The former Burnley boss spent 16 months as Pompey’s manager
A former Pompey manager is reportedly set to lose his job - and be replaced by Robbie Savage.
Steve Cotterill steered Forest Green Rovers to third place in the National League last season after losing just seven matches.
However, they suffered the agony of being eliminated in the play-off semi-finals on penalties by a Southend side which finished 15 points below them.
And, according to Sky Sports News and a number of other media outlets, promotion-winning Macclesfield boss is lined up to take over from Cotterill.
Rovers appointed Mark Bowen as their new director of football last month and has previously worked with Savage at Birmingham, Blackburn and with Wales.
Savage oversaw Macclesfield’s promotion from the Northern Premier League Premier Division last season, amassing a staggering 109 points, scoring 109 goals, losing just three times and finishing 25 points ahead of second-placed Worksop Town.
However, he is now reportedly set to jump into the National League and join Rovers, who were relegated from the Football League in 2023-24.
Replaced Avram Grant as Portsmouth manager
Cotterill was appointed Pompey boss in June 2010 after Avram Grant quit to join West Ham following relegation from the Premier League.
During his first season at Fratton Park, the former Burnley boss had to cope with the club’s precarious financial position, including starting the season in administration.
From October 2010, he also had Balram Chainrai to contend with as owner, with Portpin having re-taken control of the Blues. During that period, David Lampitt served as chief executive.
Despite off-field difficulties, including not being allowed to play Richard Hughes and Michael Brown due to being entitled to new deals with another appearance, Pompey finished 16th in the Championship.
That placing was boosted by a run of six successive league victories by March 2011, while Pompey also broke the post-war league record of 636 minutes without conceding.
Following Convers Sports Initiative’s takeover in June 20111, Cotterill retained his job and was handed money to spend, buying the likes of Greg Halford, Erik Huseklepp, Luke Varney, Jason Pearce and Stephen Henderson.
Quit Portsmouth for Nottingham Forest
However, he quit Fratton Park in October 2011 to join Nottingham Forest, having managed the Blues for 61 matches, including 19 victories, with a win ratio of 31.14 per cent.
Michael Appleton replaced him, although, just five weeks after Cotterill’s departure, chairman Vladimir Antonov was arrested on charges of bank fraud and later imprisoned.
Pompey subsequently returned to administration in February 2012 and were docked 10 points by the Football League as they suffered relegation from the Championship.
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