1st – Peter Jackson

Like Votes – 228

Dislike Votes – 228

Split – 50% / 50%

Games Managed – 92

Win Percentage – 34.78%

Peter Jackson, a marmite manager for the Imps, if ever there was one. A man who, with the right assistant, was superb in the dugout but who floundered when left alone. He had his moments at Sincil Bank – saving us from relegation in 2007/08 stands out, and the way he managed a serious health scare was also inspirational. I know of other things he did, little touches that demonstrated that Peter Jackson, the man, was very much someone to be admired and respected.

Peter Jackson the manager? Not for me. He got a dislike vote from me for his treatment of Alan Marriott, a keeper who should have topped 500 Imps appearances, as well as his below-par management of a strong squad. I felt he was belligerent at times, stubborn with selection, and had far more misses in the transfer market than hits. I didn’t buy into the Lord of the Imps thing, not one bit, and yet when he was finally dismissed, I felt it was too soon. After all, when he was sacked, City were sitting on six points from five matches, and average of 1.2 per game, which would (or rather could) have resulted in 55, five more than we ended up with. His new squad, the post ‘Magnificent Seven’ squad, one with Butcher, Oakes, Kerr, a young Clucas, Rene Howe, Danny Hone, and big Janos, had barely been given a chance to gel.

Even today, I sometimes think I was harsh on Jackson, and then other days, I’ll wonder what might have happened if we’d gone with another candidate post-Schoey. At least now, thanks to this vote, I’m not alone.

I will follow this article up with the four most popular and least popular managers of the last 30 years later in the week.