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{{Short description|English former football player and manager}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography 
 | name          = Gary Megson
 | image         = 
 | fullname      = Gary John Megson
 | height        = 5 ft 10 in<ref>{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=328 |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5}}</ref>
 | birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1959|5|2|df=y}}
 | birth_place    = [[Manchester]], England
 | position      = [[Midfielder]]
 | years1   = 1977–1979  | clubs1  = [[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]]        | caps1   = 78  | goals1   = 10  
 | years2   = 1979–1981  | clubs2  = [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]                        | caps2   = 22  | goals2   = 2   
 | years3   = 1981–1984  | clubs3  = [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]| caps3   = 123 | goals3   = 13  
 | years4   = 1984       | clubs4  = [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]]    | caps4   = 0   | goals4   = 0   
 | years5   = 1984–1985  | clubs5  = [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]      | caps5   = 24  | goals5   = 1   
 | years6   = 1985–1989  | clubs6  = [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]| caps6   = 110 | goals6   = 12  
 | years7   = 1989–1992  | clubs7  = [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]        | caps7   = 82  | goals7   = 2   
 | years8   = 1992–1995  | clubs8  = [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]              | caps8   = 46  | goals8   = 1   
 | years9   = 1995       | clubs9  = [[Lincoln City F.C.|Lincoln City]]              | caps9   = 2   | goals9   = 0   
 | years10  = 1995       | clubs10 = [[Shrewsbury Town F.C.|Shrewsbury Town]]        | caps10  = 2   | goals10  = 0   
 | totalcaps  = 489  | totalgoals  = 41
 | manageryears1   = 1995–1996  | managerclubs1  = [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]
 | manageryears2   = 1996–1997  | managerclubs2  = [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]]
 | manageryears3   = 1997–1999  | managerclubs3  = [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]]
 | manageryears4   = 1999       | managerclubs4  = [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]]
 | manageryears5   = 2000–2004  | managerclubs5  = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
 | manageryears6   = 2005–2006  | managerclubs6  = [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]]
 | manageryears7   = 2007       | managerclubs7  = [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
 | manageryears8   = 2007–2009  | managerclubs8  = [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]]
 | manageryears9   = 2011–2012  | managerclubs9  = [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]
 | manageryears10  = 2017  | managerclubs10 = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] (caretaker)
}}

'''Gary John Megson''' (born 2 May 1959)<ref>[http://www.4thegame.com/club/bolton-wanderers-fc/manager-profile/2914/garymegson.html Manager profile at 4thegame] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915174038/http://www.4thegame.com/club/bolton-wanderers-fc/manager-profile/2914/garymegson.html |date=15 September 2008 }}</ref> is an English former [[Association football|football]] player and manager.

He has previously managed [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]], [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]], [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]], [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]], [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]], [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]], [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]], [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] and [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]. He guided West Brom to promotion in 2001–02 and 2003–04, both times from the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] to the [[Premier League]].

He is the son of [[Don Megson]] and the brother of [[Neil Megson (soccer)|Neil Megson]], both former players.

==Playing career==
As a player, Megson was a tough-tackling [[Midfielder#Defensive midfielder|defensive midfielder]] who played for nine different clubs. He began his career at [[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]], where he impressed enough for [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] to sign him for a £250,000 transfer fee. Megson struggled to establish himself in the Everton line-up, and after two years at Goodison, he moved to [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]], where his father had once played, for a fee of £130,000.

Megson immediately gained a place in Wednesday's starting lineup, and was a member of the team that gained promotion to the top flight in [[1983–84 in English football|1983–84]], ending a 14-year exile from the elite. In his three years at [[Hillsborough Stadium|Hillsborough]], he missed only three league games. In the summer of 1984, he was signed by [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]], only for [[Brian Clough]] to decide "he couldn't trap a bag of cement". Megson spent five months at the City Ground, without making a single first-team appearance before being sold to [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]].

Megson played regularly for the Magpies for the remainder of the [[1984–85 in English football|1984–85 season]], but lost his place in the line-up the following season, and moved back to Sheffield Wednesday. In his second spell with the Owls, Megson again established himself as an important member of the squad, and was rarely out of the starting eleven. In January 1989, he moved to [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]], where he spent three and a half seasons, and helped City finish fifth in his final two seasons there, having helped them win promotion in his first season.

He then moved to [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] on a free transfer in the summer of 1992, and spent three seasons at Carrow Road. He was an important member of the Norwich side that finished third in the inaugural season of the Premier League and played in the UEFA Cup for the first time as a result. When manager [[Mike Walker (Welsh footballer)|Mike Walker]] moved to [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] in January 1994, he was also assistant to the new Norwich manager [[John Deehan]].

When Deehan resigned in April 1995, Megson briefly took charge as caretaker manager, but failed to save City from the drop, losing four and drawing one of his five games in charge. In the summer, he also left Norwich and finished his playing career with short spells at lower division sides [[Lincoln City F.C.|Lincoln City]] and [[Shrewsbury Town F.C.|Shrewsbury Town]]. In December 1995, he returned to Norwich when he was re-appointed manager following [[Martin O'Neill]]'s sudden departure to [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]. He remained as manager at [[Carrow Road]] until the end of the season, when Mike Walker was appointed for the second time.

==Managerial career==

===Norwich City===
While still playing at Norwich City, Megson became assistant to manager [[John Deehan]]. When Deehan resigned as manager of Norwich on 9 April 1995, with Norwich heading for relegation after a terrible loss of form since Christmas, Megson stepped up to the manager's seat for the remainder of the [[1994–95 in English football|season]], and had five games remaining to secure survival. However, Norwich collected just one point from their remaining games and were relegated. [[Martin O'Neill]] was appointed manager that summer, with Megson leaving the club to play for Lincoln City and then Shrewsbury, before joining [[Bradford City]] late in 1995 as assistant manager to [[Chris Kamara]]. However, by Christmas that year, he was back at Norwich as manager following the departure of Martin O'Neill to Leicester City. Norwich finished 15th in Division One that season and Megson then left the club as [[Mike Walker (Welsh footballer)|Mike Walker]] returned as manager.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gary Megson|url=http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/megson.htm|work=Ex-Canaries.com|access-date=24 April 2013}}</ref>

===Blackpool===
In 1996, Megson became manager at [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]], where he recorded 21 wins in 52 matches – enough to stay clear of relegation to [[Football League Third Division|Division Three]], but not quite enough for a playoff place and the chance of promotion to the [[Football League First Division|Division One]]. At [[Bloomfield Road]], he was assisted by the former [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] midfielder [[Mike Phelan]], but the partnership failed to bring a Division Two playoff place to ''the Seasiders'', and Megson left at the end of the season.

===Stockport County===
Megson moved to [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]] in July 1997, shortly after [[Dave Jones (football manager)|Dave Jones]]' departure for [[Premier League]] [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]. County had been runners-up in [[EFL League One|Division Two]] the season before, therefore started the new season in [[EFL Championship|Division One]]. In Megson's first season they performed admirably and they came just two places short of the Division One playoffs, with some excellent performances, including a 3–1 home win versus [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]. The following season was more disappointing and County finished in 16th place. Soon after he left Stockport by mutual consent.

===Stoke City===
Megson was not unemployed for long, taking the manager's job at [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]] in the summer of 1999 after the club missed out on [[Tony Pulis]] who instead joined [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]].<ref name="Stoke City Modern Era">{{cite book|last=Lowe|first=Simon|title=Stoke City The Modern Era – A Complete Record|year=2000|publisher=Desert Island Books|isbn=1-874287-39-2}}</ref> Megson arrived at the club at a time when there was a great deal of pressure on the current board to sell the club to new owners.<ref name="Stoke City Modern Era"/> After a slow start to the [[1999–2000 Stoke City F.C. season|1999–2000 season]] results gradually improved and the team went on a ten match unbeaten run to haul them into the play-offs. However unfortunately for Megson by November the long-awaited takeover bid was accepted in the form of a group of Icelandic businessmen headed by [[Gunnar Gíslason (businessman)|Gunnar Gíslason]].<ref name="Stoke City Modern Era"/> They appointed their own man, former [[Iceland national football team|Iceland national team]] manager [[Guðjón Þórðarson|Gudjon Thordarson]].<ref name="Stoke City Modern Era"/>

===West Bromwich Albion===
Megson took over as manager of [[Football League First Division|First Division]] [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] in March 2000, just days before the [[transfer deadline]] at the end of the [[1999–2000 in English football|1999–2000 season]]. It was 14 years since Albion had been in the top flight of [[English football league system|English football]], and in that time they had spent their first ever spell (two seasons) in the third tier. Indeed, when Megson was appointed they were in real danger of a second relegation to that level. But he moved quickly to strengthen the team by bringing in several new players. In his first month in charge, Megson received a 28-day touchline ban following his comments to referee [[Graham Poll]] after Albion's 2–0 defeat to [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]]. Megson was unhappy about a penalty that Poll had awarded to Portsmouth; some years later, Poll conceded that it was "one of the worst penalties I've ever given".<ref>{{cite episode| title = Eamonn Holmes| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/eamonn_holmes.shtml| series = 2008| credits = Presenter: Eamonn Holmes| network = BBC| station = Radio 5 Live| airdate = 25 October 2008| minutes = 8:00| access-date = 4 November 2008| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081027064701/http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/eamonn_holmes.shtml| archive-date = 27 October 2008| url-status = dead}}</ref> Albion nevertheless ensured their safety by winning their final game of the season.

The following season Megson took the club into the playoffs, winning the [[Football League Championship Manager of the Month|Division One Manager of the Month]] award for November 2000 along the way.<ref>{{Cite news| title=Megson bags award| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1047987.stm| publisher=BBC Sport| date=30 November 2000| access-date=28 October 2007}}</ref> Albion lost to Bolton Wanderers at the [[semi-final]] stage, but [[2001–02 in English football|the following year]] the club won promotion to the [[Premier League]] for the first time, overcoming the eleven-point lead of their fierce local rivals [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] in the closing weeks of the campaign. This achievement earned Megson the Nationwide Division One Manager of the Year award,<ref>{{Cite news|date=14 May 2002|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/1986615.stm|title=Megson scoops award|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=4 May 2007}}</ref> as well as the medieval title ''Lord of the Manor of West Bromwich''.<ref>{{Cite news| last = Alexander| first = David| title= West Brom lord it as Dichio ends barren run| url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2002/12/01/sfgwba01.xml| publisher= Telegraph Media Group|work=The Telegraph| date= 1 December 2002| access-date= 15 May 2008}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> However, the club was barely prepared for the financial challenges of life in the top flight and a bitter quarrel soon developed between Megson and the club's chairman Paul Thompson over what Megson perceived as the latter's interference in footballing matters. An undignified public showdown resulted in Thompson resigning from the board in order to forestall Megson's departure. The board elected [[Jeremy Peace]] as Thompson's successor, and in July 2002 Megson signed a new three-year contract with Albion.<ref>{{Cite news|date=25 July 2002|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/2150680.stm|title=Megson signs West Brom deal|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=4 May 2007}}</ref> However, in 2002–03 the club were relegated after just a single season in the Premier League.

Megson mounted a successful promotion campaign [[2003–04 in English football|the following season]], and a return to the Premier League – but by the summer of 2004, the relationship between Megson and Peace had become strained. By September, after a poor start to the season, Megson's job appeared to be under threat. The following month Megson, whose contract was due to end in June 2005, announced that he would not sign a new deal if the club offered one. The board chose to interpret this as a resignation, and on 26 October Megson was dismissed.<ref>{{Cite news|date=26 October 2004|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/3954309.stm|title=Megson sacked by West Brom|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=22 April 2007}}</ref> A settlement for the remainder of his contract was reached in November 2004.<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 November 2004|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/4007815.stm|title=West Brom agree Megson settlement|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=4 May 2007}}</ref>

===Nottingham Forest===
Within a week of being sacked at West Bromwich Albion, Gary Megson was linked with the manager's job at Albion's local rivals [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]], which became vacant after [[Dave Jones (football manager)|Dave Jones]] was sacked – but that job went to [[Glenn Hoddle]] instead. On 10 January 2005, Megson was appointed to succeed [[Joe Kinnear]] as manager of struggling [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]],<ref>{{Cite news|date=10 January 2005|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/4160373.stm|title=Forest appoint Megson as manager|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2007-05-04}}</ref> but was unable to save them from slipping into the third tier of English football for the first time in more than half a century. Promotion back to the [[EFL Championship|Championship]] was to be his priority for [[2005–06 in English football|2005–06]], but Forest struggled, especially away from home, for most of the season. In terms of points they were nearer to the relegation zone than the playoff zone when he resigned in February 2006 after being put under a lot of pressure by the Forest fans.<ref>{{Cite news|date=16 February 2006|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/4720840.stm|title=Megson departs as Forest manager|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2007-04-22}}</ref> He claimed that his resignation had cost him £500,000.<ref>{{Cite news|date=3 March 2006|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/4769654.stm|title=Forest exit costs Megson £500,000|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2007-05-04}}</ref>

In June 2007 Megson was appointed as a coach at [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]] by manager [[Tony Pulis]]. He retained this role until his appointment as manager of Leicester City.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/10/25/sfnbol125.xml|title= Bolton close in on Gary Megson|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|author=John Percy|access-date=2007-10-28|date=25 October 2007 | location=London}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

===Leicester City===
On 13 September 2007, [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] chairman [[Milan Mandarić]] announced Gary Megson as the new manager of the club, citing Megson's "wealth of experience" as a deciding factor in the appointment. Leicester achieved their first League win under Megson on 6 October 2007 with a 2–0 win over [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] at [[Hillsborough Stadium|Hillsborough]] with goals from [[Gareth McAuley]] and an own goal by [[Akpo Sodje]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Megson excited by Leicester job|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/6987880.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 September 2007|access-date=2007-09-13}}</ref>

A month into Megson's tenure at Leicester, Mandarić rejected an approach from [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] for the manager's services.<ref name="Foxes reject Bolton's Megson move">{{Cite news|title=Foxes reject Bolton's Megson move|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7050538.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=19 October 2007|access-date=2007-10-19}}</ref> On 23 October however, Bolton announced that Megson was their first choice to become their new manager, and made a second approach for him. The club said they were also willing to compensate Leicester should Megson leave the [[Walkers Stadium]].<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7058362.stm Bolton want Megson as new manager], BBC Sport 23 October 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.</ref> This second approach was also rejected by Milan Mandarić,<ref>[https://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11712_2819807,00.html Foxes reject second approach], Sky Sports 23 October 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.</ref> but Megson was eventually given permission to speak to Bolton and he left Leicester on 24 October 2007, just 41 days and nine [[EFL Championship]] games after his appointment.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bolton target Megson leaves Foxes|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/7058362.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=24 October 2007|access-date=2007-10-24}}</ref>

===Bolton Wanderers===
Megson took over as manager of [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] on 25 October 2007 in a two-and-a-half-year deal.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Megson Takes Control at the Reebok|url=http://www.bwfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/General/0,,1004~1151668,00.html|publisher=Bolton Wanderers FC|date=25 October 2007|access-date=25 October 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027060314/http://www.bwfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/General/0%2C%2C1004~1151668%2C00.html|archive-date=27 October 2007}}</ref> He accepted that he was not the number one choice for the job,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Megson accepts fans' frustration|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/bolton_wanderers/7063955.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 October 2007|access-date=28 October 2007}}</ref> after Bolton had already had approaches for [[Steve Bruce]] and [[Chris Coleman (footballer)|Chris Coleman]] rejected,<ref name="Foxes reject Bolton's Megson move"/> and [[Graeme Souness]] had also ruled himself out.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bolton Wanderers target Gary Megson after Graeme Souness refuses a straight shoot-out|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/bolton/article2726925.ece|work=The Times|location=London|date=24 October 2007|access-date=28 October 2007| first=Neil| last=Johnston}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Bolton had made a poor start to the [[2007–08 in English football|2007–08 season]] under [[Sammy Lee (footballer)|Sammy Lee]], and when Megson took over they were bottom of the [[Premier League]] table with only 5 points from 10 games. Megson's first game in charge was against [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] on 28 October, and finished 1–1. He recorded his first win on 24 November when Bolton beat [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]], the champions and League leaders, 1–0; this was their first home victory over United for 30 years.

By the [[New Year]] Bolton were lying 16th in the Premier League table, but only two points ahead of [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] who were 19th. In January 2008 they sold [[Nicolas Anelka]] to [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] for £15 million, and brought in no comparable replacement. In February 2008 however they beat [[Atlético Madrid]] (who at the time were lying fourth in [[La Liga]]) 1–0 on [[Aggregate score|aggregate]], winning 1–0 at home and drawing 0–0 away, to reach the last 16 of the [[UEFA Cup]] for the first time in the club's history before proceeding to play the reserve team in Lisbon in the Last 16 with the tie tied at 1–1, Bolton lost the away leg 1–0. Megson picked a reserve side so that the first team were rested for Sunday's relegation battle against [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]]. They proceeded to lose 1–0 to a ten-man Wigan side. Their League form remained poor, and a 4–0 defeat at [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] on 5 April left them in 18th place, two points adrift of safety. But they proceeded to take 11 points from their last five games (including a 1–1 draw at Chelsea on the final day of the season) to secure survival in the Premier League – the first time Megson had achieved this as a manager.

Megson won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for November 2008.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Megson and Anelka pick up awards|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7780614.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=12 December 2008|access-date=14 January 2009}}</ref> Heading into the 2008–09 season, he brought in players such as [[Johan Elmander]] for a club record £8.2m, [[Fabrice Muamba]] from [[Birmingham City]] for £5m, [[Mustapha Riga]] from [[Levante UD|Levante]], [[Danny Shittu]] for £2m and [[Ebi Smolarek]] on a season-long loan from [[Racing Santander]] with a view to a permanent deal. Bolton started the season unremarkably and by October Bolton were looking set for another relegation scrap. This caused increasing pressure on Megson but he was given time by Chairman [[Phil Gartside]] and managed to improve results, leading Bolton to a high of eighth in the league. On 1 March 2009, it was announced that Megson had agreed a new rolling contract with Bolton.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/mar/01/gary-megson-bolton-wanderers-contract | work=The Guardian| title=Megson agrees new Bolton deal | date=1 March 2009 | access-date=3 May 2010}}</ref> He celebrated his new contract with a 1–0 victory over [[Newcastle United]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bolton 1–0 Newcastle.|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7905873.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=1 March 2009|access-date=1 March 2009| first=Aimee| last=Lewis}}</ref> Bolton finished 13th in the 2008–09 season.

During the summer of 2009 Megson added to the Trotters' squad with the additions of [[Portsmouth]] midfielder [[Sean Davis (footballer, born 1979)|Sean Davis]] on a free transfer, [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]]'s Welsh right-back [[Sam Ricketts]], [[Aston Villa]]'s England international defender [[Zat Knight]] for £4m, veteran left-back [[Paul Robinson (defender born 1978)|Paul Robinson]] on loan from [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Brom]] and the South Korean international [[Lee Chung-Yong]]. Just before the transfer window closed he added the Croatian international [[Ivan Klasnić]] from [[FC Nantes]] on a season long loan. In the 2009 season, under Megson's tenure, he started the season in an inauspicious manner with defeats to Hull City and Sunderland before seeing excellent form in the next seven games. These games saw three wins, two draws and narrow defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool. After 25 October, Bolton lost five out of the next six games. The first three were losses by four goals and these were followed by a home defeat to Blackburn, a draw against Fulham and an away defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers. In a period which lasted almost fifty days without a win Bolton played Manchester City and were scheduled games against other relegation candidates including West Ham United, Wigan Athletic, Burnley and Hull City. In the four games that were played Bolton were leading them all but ended with only one win and three draws, leaving the club 18th out of 20 and with 18 points from 18 games.

On 30 December 2009, Bolton announced that Megson had been relieved of his duties as manager with immediate effect. Bolton Wanderers official club statement said; "The decision has been taken in the light of the position the club finds itself in the Barclays Premier League at the halfway point of the season."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/bolton_wanderers/8434719.stm|title=Bolton Wanderers sack manager Gary Megson |date=30 December 2009|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=30 December 2009}}</ref> It was later confirmed that as the club and their former manager could not agree a compensation deal Megson would be paid out the remainder of his rolling contract on a weekly basis, effectively putting him on a year's [[garden leave]].<ref>{{Cite news
|title=Gary Megson unhappy to be placed on gardening leave by Bolton|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/bolton/6990393/Gary-Megson-unhappy-to-be-placed-on-gardening-leave-by-Bolton.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119041138/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/bolton/6990393/Gary-Megson-unhappy-to-be-placed-on-gardening-leave-by-Bolton.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 January 2010|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|work=The Telegraph|date=15 January 2010|access-date=19 January 2010| first=Mark| last=Ogden}}</ref> Over two years after being dismissed by Bolton, Megson complained that he had never won the fans over and hit out at the club's supporters, claiming that they did not like him and he did not like them.<ref>{{cite news|title=I didn't like Bolton Wanderers fans – Gary Megson|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/16738723|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 February 2012|access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref>

===Sheffield Wednesday===
On 4 February 2011, Megson was appointed manager of his former club, [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]], replacing [[Alan Irvine (footballer born 1958)|Alan Irvine]] who had been relieved of his post the previous day. On 29 February 2012, with the club third in League One, he was sacked. At the time of his sacking he had the third best win percentage of any manager in Sheffield Wednesday's history. His last result before being sacked was a 1–0 victory over [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] in the [[Steel City derby]].<ref>{{Cite news
|title=Megson lands Owls post|url=https://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11719_6723649,00.html|publisher=Sky Sports|date=4 February 2011|access-date=4 February 2011}}</ref>

===Return to West Bromwich Albion===
Megson returned to West Bromwich Albion as an Assistant Head Coach to [[Tony Pulis]] in July 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wba.co.uk/news/2017/july/megson-returns-to-the-hawthorns/|title=Megson returns to The Hawthorns|publisher=wba.co.uk|date=28 July 2017|access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref>

On 20 November 2017, he was named as the caretaker head coach of [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] "until further notice" after [[Tony Pulis]] was sacked.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42041923|access-date=20 November 2017|title=Tony Pulis: West Brom sack manager after Chelsea defeat|work=BBC Sport }}</ref> When [[Alan Pardew]] was appointed manager of the club, Megson departed.

== Coaching style ==
[[Darren Huckerby]] criticised Megson's coaching style, when explaining why he chose to sign for Norwich City, instead of Megson's West Bromwich Albion. "I told him I didn't like the way he coached, I didn't like the way he shouted at his players and didn't like the way he treated seasoned professionals like 15-year-olds. I was just being honest with him. I said: 'I've seen you on the sidelines and you look like a crazed animal'".<ref name="Huck">{{cite web |url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/columnists/chris-lakey/is_it_necessary_for_managers_to_continually_rant_and_rave_1_1511508 |title=Is it necessary for managers to continually rant and rave? - Chris Lakey - Eastern Daily Press |access-date=2012-09-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017162359/http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/columnists/chris-lakey/is_it_necessary_for_managers_to_continually_rant_and_rave_1_1511508 |archive-date=17 October 2012 }}</ref> According to Huckerby, Megson's response was that "He told me that was how he had to work with his players".<ref name="Huck"/>

==Career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{ENFA}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|FA Cup
!colspan="2"|League Cup
!colspan="2"|Other{{efn|include [[Anglo-Scottish Cup]] and [[Full Members Cup]].}}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]]
|[[1977–78 in English football|1977–78]]
|[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]
|24||2||4||0||0||0||0||0||28||2
|-
|[[1978–79 in English football|1978–79]]
|Third Division
|42||8||1||0||4||0||0||0||47||8
|-
|[[1979–80 in English football|1979–80]]
|Third Division
|12||0||0||0||5||0||3||0||20||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!78!!10!!5!!0!!9!!0!!3!!0!!95!!10
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Everton F.C.|Everton]]
|[[1979–80 in English football|1979–80]]
|[[Football League First Division|First Division]]
|12||1||3||1||0||0||0||0||15||2
|-
|[[1980–81 in English football|1980–81]]
|First Division
|10||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||10||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!22!!2!!3!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!25!!3
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]
|[[1981–82 in English football|1981–82]]
|[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]
|40||5||1||0||2||0||0||0||43||5
|-
|[[1982–83 in English football|1982–83]]
|Second Division
|41||4||7||5||5||1||0||0||53||10
|-
|[[1983–84 in English football|1983–84]]
|Second Division
|42||4||4||0||6||1||0||0||52||5
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!123!!13!!12!!5!!13!!2!!0!!0!!148!!20
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]
|[[1984–85 in English football|1984–85]]
|First Division
|20||1||2||1||0||0||0||0||22||2
|-
|[[1985–86 in English football|1985–86]]
|First Division
|4||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||6||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!24!!1!!2!!1!!2!!0!!0!!0!!28!!2
|-
|rowspan="5"|Sheffield Wednesday
|[[1985–86 in English football|1985–86]]
|First Division
|20||3||5||0||0||0||0||0||25||3
|-
|[[1986–87 in English football|1986–87]]
|First Division
|35||6||6||1||3||0||1||0||45||7
|-
|[[1987–88 in English football|1987–88]]
|First Division
|37||2||4||0||4||0||2||0||47||2
|-
|[[1988–89 in English football|1988–89]]
|First Division
|18||1||0||0||2||0||0||0||20||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!110!!12!!15!!1!!9!!0!!3!!0!!137!!13
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]
|[[1988–89 in English football|1988–89]]
|Second Division
|22||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||23||1
|-
|[[1989–90 in English football|1989–90]]
|First Division
|19||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||22||0
|-
|[[1990–91 in English football|1990–91]]
|First Division
|19||1||3||0||2||0||2||0||26||1
|-
|[[1991–92 in English football|1991–92]]
|First Division
|22||0||1||0||3||0||0||0||26||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!82!!2!!8!!0!!5!!0!!2!!0!!97!!2
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]
|[[1992–93 in English football|1992–93]]
|[[Premier League]]
|23||1||2||0||0||0||0||0||25||1
|-
|[[1993–94 in English football|1993–94]]
|Premier League
|22||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||24||0
|-
|[[1994–95 in English football|1994–95]]
|Premier League
|1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!46!!1!!4!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!50!!1
|-
|[[Lincoln City F.C.|Lincoln City]]
|[[1995–96 in English football|1995–96]]
|Third Division
|2||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||4||0
|-
|[[Shrewsbury Town F.C.|Shrewsbury Town]]
|[[1995–96 in English football|1995–96]]
|Second Division
|2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!489!!41!!49!!8!!40!!2!!8!!0!!586!!51
|}

{{notelist}}

==Managerial statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan=2 width=140|Team
!rowspan=2 width=120|From
!rowspan=2 width=110|To
!colspan=5|Record
|-
!width=30|G
!width=30|W
!width=30|D
!width=30|L
!width=40|Win %
|-
|align=left|[[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]
|align=left|21 December 1995
|align=left|31 July 1996
{{WDL|27|5|9|13}}
|-
|align=left|[[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]]
|align=left|5 July 1996
|align=left|1 July 1997
{{WDL|52|21|15|16}}
|-
|align=left|[[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]]
|align=left|1 July 1997
|align=left|25 June 1999
{{WDL|102|35|27|40}}
|-
|align=left|[[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]]
|align=left|14 July 1999
|align=left|15 November 1999
{{WDL|22|9|7|6}}
|-
|align=left|[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
|align=left|9 March 2000
|align=left|26 October 2004
{{WDL|221|94|50|77}}
|-
|align=left|[[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]]
|align=left|10 January 2005
|align=left|16 February 2006
{{WDL|59|17|18|24}}
|-
|align=left|[[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
|align=left|13 September 2007
|align=left|24 October 2007
{{WDL|9|3|4|2}}
|-
|align=left|[[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]]
|align=left|25 October 2007
|align=left|30 December 2009
{{WDL|98|27|26|45}}
|-
|align=left|[[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]
|align=left|4 February 2011
|align=left|29 February 2012
{{WDL|62|28|12|22}}
|-
|align=left|[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] (caretaker)
|align=left|20 November 2017
|align=left|29 November 2017
{{WDL|2|0|2|0}}
|-
!colspan=3|Total<ref>{{cite web|title=Gary Megson|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=482|website=Soccerbase|access-date=2 July 2016}}</ref>
{{WDLtot|654|239|170|245}}
|}

==Honours==
===As a manager===
'''West Bromwich Albion'''
*[[Football League First Division]] runner-up: [[2001–02 Football League First Division|2001–02]], [[2003–04 Football League First Division|2003–04]]

'''Individual'''
*[[Premier League Manager of the Month]]: [[2008–09 Premier League#Monthly awards|November 2008]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/managers/933/Gary-Megson/overview |title=Manager profile: Gary Megson |publisher=Premier League |access-date=19 September 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Soccerbase}}
* {{Soccerbase manager|id=482}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927021707/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/manager/profile.html?managerid=328 Gary Megson profile] at the League Managers Association
* [http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/megson.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]

{{1983–84 Football League Second Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Norwich City F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Gary Megson managerial positions
|list1=
{{Norwich City F.C. managers}}
{{Blackpool F.C. managers}}
{{Stockport County F.C. managers}}
{{Stoke City F.C. managers}}
{{West Bromwich Albion F.C. managers}}
{{Nottingham Forest F.C. managers}}
{{Leicester City F.C. managers}}
{{Bolton Wanderers F.C. managers}}
{{Sheffield Wednesday F.C. managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Megson, Gary}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Plymouth Argyle F.C. players]]
[[Category:Everton F.C. players]]
[[Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players]]
[[Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players]]
[[Category:Newcastle United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Manchester City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Norwich City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Shrewsbury Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:Leicester City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Lincoln City F.C. players]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:Norwich City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Blackpool F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Stockport County F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Stoke City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. managers]]
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[[Category:Premier League managers]]
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[[Category:English Football League managers]]