Meet The National League's Longest Serving Managers!

By Tom Scott

Take one look at the newspapers or online and it’s a constant rumour mill full of experts predicting who will be the next manager to get the axe.

But amongst the seemingly non-stop revolving managerial doors are long-serving managers who have built long-lasting legacies and written themselves into fan folklore.

We looked at the longest running tenures within the National League and found that the ten longest serving managers have served their clubs for a combined period of over 85 years at the helm.

Jason Ainsley takes top spot having been manager at Spennymoor Town for just over 11 years but has also spent most of his life at the club.

He’s been player, captain and assistant at Moors in a spell that dates back to 1989.

This current season will be his twelfth in charge having won five titles and an FA Vase in 2013.

In 2008, Paul Doswell joined Sutton United and is now the third longest serving manager in the National League.

Lee Bradbury is taking his Havant and Waterlooville side on another big journey this season as they compete in the top level of non-league for the first time.

He’s spent just short of six years in the Westleigh Park hotseat.

National League Longest Serving Managers

Jason Ainsley – Spennymoor Town (4172days)
John Coventry – East Thurrock United (4019 days)
Paul Doswell – Sutton United (3745 days)
Gavin Rose – Dulwich Hamlet (3441 days)
Simon Weaver – Harrogate Town (3422 days)
Paul Holleran – Leamington (3246 days)
John Flanagan - Curzon Ashton (2742 days)
Dave Challinor – AFC Fylde (2526 days)
Lee Bradbury – Havant & Waterlooville (2174 days)
Chris Kinnear - Dover Athletic (2082 days)

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