Colin Todd and Roy McFarland, Bolton Wanderers
Colin Todd and Roy McFarland looked like a logical pairing when Bolton Wanderers appointed them in 1995. They had been outstanding defenders together at Derby County, and after Bruce Rioch left for Arsenal, Bolton needed to prepare for life in the Premier League.
The problem was that the top flight exposed them quickly. Bolton struggled badly, sank to the bottom, and by New Year’s Day had taken just ten points from 22 matches. McFarland was dismissed the following day, leaving Todd in sole charge.
Todd could not save them, although Bolton did improve during the second half of the season. They still finished bottom and went straight back down, but Todd then led them to the second-tier title the following year, which makes the story more complicated than a simple case of picking the wrong man.
The joint arrangement, however, did not work. It lasted half a season and ended with one half of the partnership removed. Whatever qualities Todd and McFarland had shared as players did not transfer neatly into managing a newly promoted Premier League side. That is often the danger with these appointments. A shared history is not the same as a shared managerial identity.