5. Derek Adams (Plymouth Argyle 2015-2019)
When choosing the successor to John Sheridan, Plymouth Argyle opted for Derek Adams, who had developed a fine reputation in Scotland on the back of two highly successful spells in charge of Ross County. Football was very much in Adams' blood as his father George was the first player ever to be signed by Sir Alex Ferguson when he began his managerial career with Scottish side East Stirlingshire in 1974.
His first season in charge at Home Park saw the Pilgrims flirt with automatic promotion before they ended the season in fifth place in League Two and were forced to settle for a play-off place. After beating Portsmouth in the play-off semi-finals, the Pilgrims reached the 2016 League Two play-off final - their first since 1996 - where they were beaten 3-0 by AFC Wimbledon. In the subsequent 2016-17 campaign, the Pilgrims clinched automatic promotion as they finished the season as runners-up in League Two. During that season they also took Liverpool to a replay in the FA Cup third round after drawing 0-0 at Anfield.
On their return to League One, Argyle recovered from a disappointing first half of the 2017-18 campaign, which saw them fighting against relegation, to finish seventh and narrowly miss out on the play-offs.
Sadly the following season saw the Pilgrims embroiled in a relegation battle that saw Adams dismissed one game before the end of the 2018-19 season as Argyle were relegated back to League Two. Adams later made a return to management with League Two side Morecambe in November 2019.
4. Paul Tisdale (Exeter City 2006-2018)
There was something of a surprise when Paul Tisdale was appointed as Exeter City manager in 2006 ahead of former Northern Ireland striker Jimmy Quinn and one time Grecians defender Shaun Taylor. However, the appointment of Tisdale ultimately proved to be a masterstroke as he led City to the Conference play-offs in his first season in charge where the Grecians were beaten 2-1 by Morecambe. The following 2007-08 season saw City go one better as they defeated Cambridge United 1-0 to secure a return to the Football League for the first tine since 2003. This was then followed by a second successive promotion as the Grecians finished as runners-up in League Two; Tisdale is also one of seven managers to complete this feat which includes: Martin O'Neill (Wycombe Wanderers), Sammy McIlroy (Macclesfield Town), Dave Penney (Doncaster Rovers), Paul Simpson (Carlisle United), Graham Westley (Stevenage), Darrell Clarke (Bristol Rovers) and Micky Mellon (Tranmere Rovers).
After retaining their League One status with a final day win over Huddersfield Town in the 2009-10 season, the Grecians then equalled their highest ever league finish and they ended the 2010-11 campaign in eighth place. The 2011-12 season saw City relegated back to League Two, but it was a number of years before the Grecians mounted another promotion challenge as they finished as losing play-off finalists in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 campaigns - losing to Blackpool and Coventry City respectively- before he announced his relegation.
Following his departure from St James' Park, Tisdale was appointed as manager of MK Dons and he led them to promotion from League Two in the 2018-19 before he was dismissed early in the 2019-20 campaign.
3. Paul Sturrock (Plymouth Argyle 2000-2004 & 2008-2009, Yeovil Town 2015)
After spending his career as one-club man with Dundee United, who he appeared in a UEFA Cup final for in 1987, Paul Sturrock won five promotions as a manager in England with four different clubs - including two with Plymouth Argyle.
The first came in the 2001-02 season when he led the Pilgirms to the Division Three title with a record 102 points. This was followed two years later with the Second Division chamopionship which was clinched shortly after Sturrock was appointed as manager of Premier League side Southampton.
His stay with the Saints proved to be brief, but he was soon back in work with Sheffield Wednesday, who he led to promotion through the League One play-offs in the 2004-05 season. Sturrock's next managerial role came with Swindon Town, who he won promotion from League Two with in the 2006-07 campaign before he returned to Home Park in 2008 as the successor to Ian Holloway who had recently departed for Leicester City. By this stage Argyle were a Championship club and after finishing 10th in the 2007-08 season, they narrowly avoided relegation in the 2008-09 campaign finishing 21st and midway through the 2009-10 season, he was replaced by Paul Mariner.
Sturrock then had a spell in charge of Southend United before taking charge of Yeovil Town in 2015, which proved to his final role in management.
2. Ian Holloway (2006-2007)
Few Plymouth Argyle managers have had such a strong bond with the 'Green Army' since Ian Holloway left Home Park in November 2007 for Leicester City. His spell in charge of the Foxes didn't quite go to plan, but he did lead Blackpool to the Premier League in the 2009-10 season and repeated the feat with Crystal Palace in the 2013-14 campaign, leaving many Argyle fans wondering what might have been had he stayed.
After spells with Bristol Rovers and Queens Park Rangers, Holloway led the Pilgrims to a 11th place finish in the Championship in the 2006-07 season and to the quarter finals of the FA Cup. They were well placed to mount a challenge for promotion at the time of his departure to Leicester and whether Argyle would have reached the top-flight for the first time ever under his guidance no one will ever know. However, Holloway who has earned a reputation for his use of metaphors in his post-match interviews, popularly known as 'Ollieisms', remains enthusiastic as ever about football and is currently in charge of League Two side Grimsby Town.
1. Gary Johnson (2001-2005 & 2012-2015, Torquay United 2018-)
Gary Johnson ended Yeovil Town's 108-year wait for league football when he steered the Glovers to the Nationwide Conference title in the 2002-03 season. The south Somerset then quickly went about making up for lost time as they finished eighth in League Two in the 2003-04 campaign before claiming the League Two title in the following 2004-05 season. Johnson also used the connections he made whilst he was manager of the Latvian national side to bring Andrejs Stolcers, who appeared for Latvia in Euro 2004, to Huish Park from Fulham.
The success with the Glovers alerted his managerial prowess to a number of larger clubs and he left Yeovil to take charge of Bristol City in September 2005. Johnson proved to be a big success at Ashton Gate as he led the Robins to promotion from League One in the 2006-07 season. He was then denied a second successive promotion, which would have seen the Robins reach the Premier League in the 2007-08 season, as Bristol City were beaten 1-0 in the Championship play-off final by Hull City.
Johnson left Ashton Gate in 2010 and following brief spells with Peterborough United and Northampton Town, he returned to Huish Park in January 2012. After steering the Glovers away from the League One relegation zone in the 2011-12 season, Yeovil defied all expectations in the 2012-13 campaign as they reached the Championship for the only time in their history as they beat Brentford in the 2013 League One play-off final. However, as they were by far and away the smallest club in the Championship the Glovers' stay in the division only lasted for one season and Johnson left Huish Park midway through the 2014-15 season.
Johnson's next port of call was Cheltenham Town, who he led to the National League title in the 2015-2016 season with a squad that was virtually built from scratch, as the Robins became the first newly relegated club to win the National League at the first attempt since Darlington in the 1989-90 campaign. Whilst at Whaddon Road, Johnson also underwent a triple heart bypass operation in April 2017.
After he was dismissed as Cheltenham Town manager four games into the 2018-19 season, Johnson was appointed as Torquay United manager in September 2018 following the departure of Gary Owers. At the time of his arrival, the Gulls were 14th in the National League South table and Johnson's impact at Plainmoor was felt immediately as he guided United to a club record unbeaten run of 16 league matches. The Gulls then went on to seal the National League South title, finishing ten points clear of second placed Woking - giving Johnson his sixth career promotion as a manager and he also became the first manager to win the League Two, National League and National League South titles.
At the time of writing, he is looking to lead the Gulls to promotion back to the Football League which would give him a record third promotion from National League level.
