Ange Postecoglou's 40-day stint at Nottingham Forest is the shortest managerial tenure in Premier League history, surpassing Les Reed's 41 days at Charlton Athletic. The Australian was appointed on 9 September 2025 and sacked on 18 October 2025, having lost six of his eight league matches and drawn the other two.
However, the record for the fastest exit in English top-flight football belongs to Tommy Docherty, who lasted just 28 days as Queens Park Rangers manager in 1968. Docherty resigned after three games when the club chairman blocked a £35,000 transfer for Rotherham defender Brian Tiler.
Other notable short tenures include Brian Clough's 44 days at Leeds United in 1974 and Jock Stein's 45 days at the same club in 1978 before he left to manage Scotland. Postecoglou's spell at Forest is the shortest of the Premier League era, but falls short of the all-time record set by Docherty.
