Everton’s managerial history reads like a revolving door. From January 2023 to January 2025 alone, the club cycled through three permanent managers—and that churn was only broken when a familiar face returned to the bench. The story of who sits in the Everton manager’s chair matters not just to fans but to anyone tracking how ownership reshapes a club’s direction. Here’s the full picture of Everton’s managerial history, the recent upheaval, and what David Moyes’ second coming actually means for the club’s future.
Current Manager: David Moyes (since January 2025) · Total Managers (since 1879): Over 20 full-time managers · Longest-serving (post-war): David Moyes (11 years, 2002-2013) · Most Recent Sacking: Sean Dyche (January 2025)
Quick snapshot
- David Moyes (appointed Jan 2025) — second spell at the club (Soccerbase)
- Exact length of Moyes’ current contract is not publicly detailed in club statements.
- Six full-time managers since 2013—none lasted more than 2.5 seasons (Wikipedia – List of Everton F.C. managers)
- Moyes returns with a mandate to steady a club hovering one point above the relegation zone.
Everton’s managerial landscape reveals stark patterns in stability and upheaval across different eras.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Current Manager | David Moyes |
| Tenure Start | January 11, 2025 |
| Previous Manager | Sean Dyche (Sacked Jan 2025) |
| Longest-Serving Premier Era | David Moyes (11 years, 2002-2013) |
Who is the current Everton manager?
David Moyes’ appointment in 2025
David Moyes began his second spell as Everton manager on January 11, 2025, two days after Sean Dyche’s dismissal (Soccerbase). The appointment came after a brief interim period in which club captain Seamus Coleman and under-18s head coach Leighton Baines jointly took charge for one match (Wikipedia – List of Everton F.C. managers). BBC Sport reported that Moyes was tasked with “pushing the club forward,” a phrasing that underlined how far Everton’s ambitions have slipped since his first tenure (BBC Sport). The Friedkin Group, Everton’s new owners, conducted talks with Dyche before agreeing to terminate his contract and move in a different direction (ToffeeWeb – Sean Dyche profile).
Moyes’ previous tenure at Everton (2002-2013)
Moyes’ first Everton spell ran from March 15, 2002, to June 5, 2013—a period that produced nine top-eight Premier League finishes and an FA Cup final appearance (BBC Sport). That 11-year stretch remains the longest sustained managerial success in Everton’s post-war history. The contrast with what followed is stark: between his departure and his return, Everton fielded six different permanent managers, with none able to replicate his consistency.
Everton manager history and timeline
Everton’s managerial history stretches back to the club’s founding in 1878, with the official Everton FC managers history listing figures dating to Theo Kelly and Harry Catterick (Everton FC official site – Managers). The Everton FC Heritage Society identifies Catterick and Howard Kendall as the club’s two greatest managers, reflecting decades of editorial consensus among historians who cover Goodison Park closely (Everton FC Heritage Society). Kendall’s most successful spell ran from May 31, 1981, to June 18, 1987, during which he led Everton to multiple trophies and established the benchmark against which all subsequent managers are measured (Wikipedia – List of Everton F.C. managers).
Early years (1879-2002)
Before Moyes’ arrival, Everton’s managerial lineage included figures like Catterick (often cited as one of the club’s all-time greats), several transient appointments, and Howard Kendall’s trophy-winning 1980s teams. The club’s official history frames this era as one of episodic success interrupted by instability—patterns that would repeat in different forms decades later.
The David Moyes era (2002-2013)
Moyes took over in March 2002 with Everton near the relegation zone and the club lacking the resources of its rivals. Over the following 11 years, he turned the team into a consistent top-half Premier League side. Wikipedia records his first spell ending on June 5, 2013, after which he departed for Manchester United, having built a reputation as one of the league’s most reliable managers at a mid-tier club (Soccerbase).
Turbulence after Moyes (2013-2025)
The post-Moyes era became a case study in managerial churn. ToffeeWeb’s Everton Managers section documents the rapid turnover: from 2017 to early 2025, permanent managers included Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benítez, Frank Lampard, and Sean Dyche, followed by Moyes’ return (ToffeeWeb – Everton Managers). None of these appointments lasted more than two and a half seasons, and several ended amid poor results or internal friction.
Everton managers last 10 years
List of managers from 2015 to 2025
The precise list of Everton’s permanent managers from 2015 to 2025 runs as follows: Carlo Ancelotti (appointed December 21, 2019), Rafael Benítez (appointed June 30, 2021), Frank Lampard (appointed January 31, 2022), Sean Dyche (appointed January 30, 2023), and David Moyes (appointed January 11, 2025)—with the Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman interim period sandwiched between Dyche’s sacking and Moyes’ appointment (Wikipedia – List of Everton F.C. managers). From 2015 to 2025, Everton have had at least seven different permanent managers. The intervening interim arrangement added to the sense of flux. ToffeeWeb also notes the appointment of Kevin Thelwell as Director of Football in February 2022 as a structural change that shaped managerial strategy from Lampard onward (ToffeeWeb – Everton Managers).
Reasons for managerial changes
Ancelotti departed for Real Madrid in 2021, opening the door for Benítez, whose appointment proved controversial with fans and ultimately short-lived. Lampard arrived with star power but limited top-flight experience, and his reign ended amid a relegation battle. Dyche was brought in to provide organizational stability and defensive structure, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract on January 30, 2023 (Wikipedia – Sean Dyche). His dismissal on January 9, 2025, followed results that left Everton one point above the Premier League relegation zone (Wikipedia – Sean Dyche).
This cycle of replacing managers after brief tenures reflects deeper instability—the sacking of each manager signaled an ownership group searching for quick fixes rather than structural solutions.
Who was the Everton manager before David Moyes?
Walter Smith’s tenure (1998-2002)
The manager immediately before Moyes’ first appointment in 2002 was Walter Smith, who guided Everton from 1998 to 2002. Smith oversaw a difficult period in the club’s history and was unable to prevent a relegation battle that ultimately prompted the board to seek a new direction. Moyes was appointed as Smith’s replacement on March 15, 2002, widely regarded as a task requiring immediate stabilization (Soccerbase).
The state of the club before Moyes
When Moyes arrived in 2002, Everton was a club with decent support but limited resources compared to Premier League rivals, regularly hovering between mid-table and the lower reaches. His achievement was to make Everton competitive on a modest budget—a track record that explains why club officials turned to him again in 2025 when the same structural pressures returned.
The Friedkin Group’s decision to appoint Moyes—rather than a younger, more fashionable alternative—signals that Everton’s new owners prioritize proven Premier League track records over rebuild narratives. For a club one point above relegation, that pragmatism reflects the severity of the situation.
Everton manager age and win statistics
David Moyes was born on April 25, 1963, making him 61 years old upon his second appointment in January 2025. Age has varied widely among Everton’s recent managers: Carlo Ancelotti was 60 when appointed in December 2019, while Roberto Martinez was 40 when he took charge in 2013. Age differences reflect distinct managerial philosophies—experience-based pragmatism versus tactical innovation—but have not consistently translated into results on Merseyside.
Age of current and recent managers
Moyes at 61 represents the older end of the managerial spectrum, but his profile brings institutional memory that younger candidates lacked. By contrast, Lampard was appointed at 43 with a playing reputation that generated media attention but limited tactical preparation for Everton’s specific problems.
Win rates and success comparison
Historical win rates vary significantly across Everton’s managerial history. Howard Kendall’s 1980s teams achieved the highest success, winning multiple trophies. Wikipedia records David Moyes’ second spell as beginning January 11, 2025, with a win rate of 40.74% over 54 games, though this data was based on early returns and subject to update (Wikipedia – List of Everton F.C. managers). The interim record of Baines and Coleman—one match, one win, 100% win rate—offers an ironic footnote rather than a meaningful comparison (Wikipedia – List of Everton F.C. managers).
Moyes’ win rate from his first spell sets an expectation his second tenure may not replicate—Everton’s squad in 2025 lacks the balance and depth that allowed his 2002-2013 teams to overperform their budget consistently. The structural context that made him successful then does not fully exist now.
Timeline
Everton’s managerial trajectory from stability to chaos and back underscores the importance of continuity in modern football management.
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 2002–2013 | David Moyes’ first and highly successful tenure as Everton manager |
| 2013–2016 | Roberto Martínez era; initial success followed by decline |
| 2016–2022 | Period of high turnover: Koeman, Allardyce, Silva, Ancelotti, Benítez |
| 2022–2025 | Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche manage unsuccessfully; relegation fears persist |
| January 2025 | Sean Dyche sacked; Baines and Coleman interim; David Moyes returns as manager |
Confirmed facts and open questions
Confirmed facts
- David Moyes is the current manager as of January 2025.
- Sean Dyche was sacked on January 9, 2025.
- Everton has had over 20 full-time managers since 1879.
- Dyche managed 84 games with a 30.95% win record.
- Moyes achieved nine top-eight Premier League finishes during his first spell.
What’s unclear
- Precise length of David Moyes’ current contract (not publicly disclosed).
- Full match-by-match breakdown of Moyes’ second spell beyond early 2025 updates.
- Exact details of The Friedkin Group’s ownership timeline and formal stake confirmation.
The Everton managerial story is ultimately about ownership patience—or the lack of it. Moyes’ longevity in his first spell depended partly on a board willing to accept mid-table finishes as progress. The post-Moyes era’s churn reflects ownership groups that demanded Champions League relevance on budgets that never matched those ambitions.
Key quotes
“I will push the club forward and try to make it as successful as I possibly can.”
— David Moyes, upon his second appointment as Everton manager (BBC Sport)
“After a thorough process, the club has decided that a change of manager is the way forward.”
— Everton FC statement regarding Sean Dyche’s dismissal (ESPN)
Summary
Everton’s managerial history since 2013 reads as a warning about what happens when ownership ambition outpaces structural preparation. The club cycled through managers with varying philosophies, budgets, and experience levels, achieving none of the consistency that defined Moyes’ first spell. His return in January 2025 represents an institutional course correction—not a gesture toward nostalgia. For supporters, the implications are concrete: Moyes’ mandate is to keep Everton in the Premier League and rebuild from a position of stability rather than crisis management. The club’s next transfer windows, ownership decisions, and board appointments will determine whether his second spell produces the same returns as his first—or whether the structural problems run deeper than any manager can solve alone.
en.wikipedia.org, evertonresults.com, espn.com, reddit.com, transfermarkt.us, australianbrief.org
David Moyes’ return to Everton in 2025 adds a new chapter to the club’s managerial history, as detailed in David Moyes career timeline.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the new Everton manager in 2025?
David Moyes is the new Everton manager, appointed on January 11, 2025, for his second spell at the club after previously managing Everton from 2002 to 2013.
How many managers have Everton had in the last 10 years?
From 2015 to 2025, Everton have had at least seven different permanent managers, including Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benítez, Frank Lampard, Sean Dyche, and David Moyes.
Why did Everton sack Sean Dyche?
Everton sacked Sean Dyche on January 9, 2025, after a poor run of results left the club one point above the Premier League relegation zone.
Who is the longest-serving Everton manager?
David Moyes holds the record for the longest serving post-war Everton manager, managing the club for 11 years from 2002 to 2013 during his first spell.
Who were the managers between David Moyes and Sean Dyche?
The managers between Moyes’ first departure in 2013 and Dyche’s appointment in 2023 included Roberto Martínez, Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelotti, and Rafael Benítez.
Who is the most successful Everton manager in history?
Howard Kendall and Harry Catterick are widely regarded as Everton’s two most successful managers, with Kendall’s trophy-winning 1980s teams often cited as the benchmark by club historians.
How old is David Moyes?
David Moyes was born on April 25, 1963, making him 61 years old at the time of his second appointment as Everton manager in January 2025.
William Sondergaard
Fact-Checking Editor — William Sondergaard reviews football facts, biographical details, competition records, and historical claims before publication. He helps ensure that sensitive or disputed information is handled carefully and that corrections are reviewed promptly.