11 managers with the shortest reigns in Premier League

Nathan Jones’ sacking by Southampton on Sunday left him with one of the shortest reigns at a Premier League club.

Here, Football Mad looks at the bosses who failed to stick around.

Frank De Boer, Crystal Palace

Frank De Boer lasted only four league games at Crystal Palace (Martin Rickett/PA)

Five games (in all competitions), 2017

The former Netherlands star was an eye-catching appointment at Selhurst Park and was allowed to bring in Jairo Riedewald for £8million as well as Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Timothy Fosu-Mensah on loan but was dispensed with after just four league games – which did not yield a point or a goal – and a League Cup win over second-tier Ipswich.

Les Reed, Charlton

Eight games, 2006

Taking over with the club struggling after eight defeats in their first 12 league games, Reed failed to improve matters. He picked up just four points in seven games, suffered a League Cup exit against Wycombe and was sacked on Christmas Eve.

Bob Bradley, Swansea

Bob Bradley’s time at Swansea was short lived (Simon Galloway/PA)

11 games, 2016

The first American to manage in the Premier League, Bradley lasted only from October to December 2016 – though unlike Reed, he at least made it through Christmas before being axed on December 27. He took eight points from 11 games and left Swansea 19th in the table, having also struggled under Francesco Guidolin, but they finally found their man as Paul Clement secured top-flight survival.

Quique Sanchez Flores, Watford

12 games, 2019

Watford’s managerial merry-go-round under the Pozzo family’s ownership stands out among Premier League clubs and Sanchez Flores has taken two rides, serving for 44 games between June 2015 and May 2016 but only a dozen – with two wins – on his return three years later.

Terry Connor, Wolves

13 games, 2012

Mick McCarthy’s successor was hardly the experienced name Wolves fans had been promised, with his erstwhile assistant never having managed professionally. Four points from 13 games – and Wolves’ relegation – meant he would go back to being McCarthy’s assistant at Ipswich.

Jacques Santini, Tottenham

Jacques Santini resigned after five months at Tottenham (Tony Marshall/PA)

13 games, 2004

The Frenchman’s only wins came against Newcastle, Birmingham, Everton and in League Cup ties against Oldham and Bolton, the latter after extra-time. His resignation was put down to “personal reasons”, widely reported to involve disagreements with Spurs’ then sporting director Frank Arnesen.

Paul Sturrock, Southampton

13 games, 2004

The Scot won four of his first six games in charge, opening up with a 2-0 success against Liverpool, though defeat to rivals Portsmouth would not have helped his case and a five-match winless run to close the 2003-04 season left Saints in 12th place. He was sacked two games into the following season, despite a 3-2 win over Blackburn in the second of those matches. League Managers’ Association vice-chairman Frank Clark described the sacking as “ludicrous”.

Chris Hutchings, Wigan

13 games, 2007

Hutchings stepped up having been assistant to Paul Jewell but early wins over Middlesbrough and Sunderland proved a false dawn, with only two further points and a League Cup exit to Hull to show for his reign. An earlier spell succeeding Jewell in similar circumstances at Bradford also lasted just 12 games into the Premier League season, but an Intertoto Cup campaign helped stretch his reign to 21 matches in all.

Paolo Di Canio, Sunderland

13 games, 2013

The Italian’s abrasive style provided the shock therapy to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League in the 2012-13 season, aided by a 3-0 derby win over Newcastle, memorable for Di Canio knee-sliding down the St James’ Park sidelines in celebration. He quickly wore out his welcome the following season, though, and was sacked before September was out.

Sammy Lee, Bolton

Sammy Lee failed to thrive after stepping out of Sam Allardyce’s shadow (Steve Wake/PA)

14 games, 2007

“Little Sam” was handed the task of replacing “Big Sam” Allardyce, having previously been his assistant. He won only one of 11 league games, against Reading, with his only other success coming against Macedonian side Rabotnicki in the UEFA Cup and went on to resume his partnership with Allardyce.

Nathan Jones, Southampton

14 games, 2022-23

The Welshman left Luton to succeed Ralph Hasenhuttl in November but, for the second time after his miserable 10 months at Stoke in 2019, it proved an unsuccessful spell away from Kenilworth Road. Five wins and nine defeats from his 14 games in charge left Saints seeking a third boss of the season.