Stoke City have appointed Mark Robins as their new manager on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
The 55-year-old, who previously managed Coventry City for seven years before being dismissed in October, replaces Narcis Pelach. The Potters parted ways with Pelach on Friday, just three months after his appointment.
Robins’ first game in charge will be against Plymouth Argyle, currently without a manager, on Saturday.
Caretaker manager Ryan Shawcross, who guided the team to a late win over Sunderland on Sunday, will oversee the New Year’s Day fixture at home against Burnley.
Joining Robins at the bet365 Stadium are Paul Nevin, former interim England Under-20 head coach, and James Rowberry, previously Newport County manager and currently assistant to Wales men’s team boss Craig Bellamy. They will serve as assistant managers.
Stoke City has reinstated the title of “manager” for Robins, moving away from the “head coach” designation used for the previous three appointees—Alex Neil, Steven Schumacher, and Pelach.
Robins brings extensive experience, having managed 780 games during his career with Rotherham United, Barnsley, Coventry City, Scunthorpe United, and Huddersfield Town since starting his managerial journey in 2007.
‘He was always going to be in great demand’
“At Coventry, Mark built something successful with a real identity and longevity,” said Stoke sporting director Jon Walters.
“He left the club in a significantly better place than he found it. That’s exactly what we want to achieve at Stoke City, and he has all the pedigree and experience to help us do that.”
Robins had also been linked with the current vacancy at Stoke’s Midlands Championship rivals West Bromwich Albion.
“With a record like that behind him, Mark was always going to be in great demand,” said Walters. “So we’re delighted that he sees an exciting opportunity to build something special in the Potteries.
“The immediate mission is to climb as high as we can up the Championship table during the second half of this season, whilst also laying foundations for a long-term successful future for our club.”
Stoke are 18th in the table, ahead of the Burnley trip, four points clear of trouble.
The Football Association of Wales have confirmed that Rowberry will remain in his role as Bellamy’s assistant with the national team.
“Welcoming two assistant managers of such calibre and with such innovative and progressive mindsets in Paul and James is another important part of how we will seek to progress and grow,” added Walters.
Mark Robins’ managerial record
In his second spell with the Sky Blues, Robins twice led them to promotion, from League Two and League One before reaching the Championship play-off final in 2023, when they lost to Luton Town on penalties.
They then took Manchester United, where Robins started his playing career, to a penalty shootout in last season’s FA Cup semi-final before falling away in the league late on as they failed to match the previous season’s top-six finish.
Stoke started the season under Schumacher, beating Robins’ Coventry on the opening day, but surprisingly sacked him in mid-September to appoint former Huddersfield and Norwich coach Pelach.
However, they won just three times in the 36-year-old Catalan’s 19 games in charge and he was sacked after a 2-0 home reverse by Leeds stretched their winless run to nine matches.
Robins is now the club’s seventh managerial appointment since their 10-year spell in the Premier League came to an end in May 2018. Since being relegated, they have always finished in the bottom half of the Championship – 16th, 15th, 14th, 14th, 16th and 17th.
“With the proven track record Mark brings to the role, I believe this is a genuinely exciting moment for Stoke City,” said Stoke chair John Coates.
“The win over Sunderland, with the way the team competed on the field and connected with the fans, gave everyone a huge boost and provided a glimpse of what can be created at our club.”