In the annals of English football history, one managerial reign stands out for its breathtaking brevity - a mere 43 days that saw Les Reed's tenure at Charlton Athletic become the shortest in Premier League history.
The Record That Still Stands
During the 2006-07 season, Charlton Athletic made a decision that would cement their place in football folklore. Les Reed, appointed as manager in November 2006, found himself out of a job just six weeks later, creating a record that remains unbroken nearly two decades later.
A Turbulent Period at The Valley
Reed inherited a struggling side from previous manager Iain Dowie, taking charge of a team sitting precariously above the relegation zone. His brief time in the dugout yielded just one victory - a Carling Cup triumph against fourth-tier Chesterfield - while league form continued to deteriorate.
The statistics make for sobering reading:
- Only 1 win in 7 matches across all competitions
- 6 Premier League games managed
- A crushing 4-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur
- Elimination from the Carling Cup by Wycombe Wanderers
The Final Straw
The Boxing Day massacre at Middlesbrough proved to be the final nail in Reed's coffin. A comprehensive 3-0 defeat left Charlton rooted in the relegation mire, prompting the board to act decisively. By December 27th, Reed's historic but ill-fated reign was over.
Football's Fleeting Appointments
While Reed holds the Premier League record, he's not alone in English football's hall of short-lived managers. The Knowledge, football's repository of curious facts, highlights several other remarkably brief tenures:
- Leroy Rosenior - Sacked by Torquay after just 10 minutes following a club takeover
- Martin Ling - Lasted just 9 days at Cambridge United
- Micky Adams - A mere 13 days at Swansea City
A Lasting Legacy
Nearly twenty years on, Reed's 43-day stint serves as a cautionary tale about the precarious nature of football management. In an era where instant results are demanded and patience is increasingly scarce, this record stands as testament to the brutal reality of the beautiful game.
The Premier League has seen many managerial casualties since, but none has matched the sheer speed of Les Reed's departure from Charlton Athletic - a record that modern football's trigger-happy chairmen have surprisingly failed to break.
