New Rovers’ Manager Ian Atkins joined the club in 2004 from Oxford United. His managerial career began in 1990 with Colchester, before short stints with both Cambridge and Doncaster.
Atkins was appointed manager at Northampton Town in January 1995, and enjoyed the success of winning the Division Three Play Off Final, and claiming promotion in 1997, The following season Atkins’ team made the Division Two Play Offs, famously turning over a 3-1 Rovers’ lead in the Semi-Final Second Leg before eventual defeat to Grimsby in the final itself. The 1998/99 season, was however, a disaster, Northampton were relegated and Atkins was sacked.
Ian returned to football in the summer of 2000 with Carlisle United, and despite boardroom unrest led the Cumbrians to survival, but the continued problems of the club forced him to leave. The opportunity to succeed Mark Wright at Oxford was too much for Atkins to resist in November 2001, and in 3 years he guided the U’s from relegation candidates in his first season to Play Off contenders.
Atkins was appointed manager at Northampton Town in January 1995, and enjoyed the success of winning the Division Three Play Off Final, and claiming promotion in 1997, The following season Atkins’ team made the Division Two Play Offs, famously turning over a 3-1 Rovers’ lead in the Semi-Final Second Leg before eventual defeat to Grimsby in the final itself. The 1998/99 season, was however, a disaster, Northampton were relegated and Atkins was sacked.
Ian returned to football in the summer of 2000 with Carlisle United, and despite boardroom unrest led the Cumbrians to survival, but the continued problems of the club forced him to leave. The opportunity to succeed Mark Wright at Oxford was too much for Atkins to resist in November 2001, and in 3 years he guided the U’s from relegation candidates in his first season to Play Off contenders.