Cambridge United's top 10 best ever managers in order of win percentage (Ranked) | OneFootball

Highlights

Cambridge United will hope for a better season in the 2023–24 League One season compared to the previous campaign.

The club managed to avoid relegation on the final day as results went their way as Cambridge got the required win against Forest Green Rovers, while MK Dons could only muster a draw against Burton Albion, meaning The U’s would remain in League One.

The club decided to stick with their manager, believing that he was the best option to ensure their safety, resisting the urge to take drastic action like many other League One clubs did last season by relieving their managers of their responsibilities.

Cambridge’s expectations for this season will not be much different from last, as the club looks to maintain their status in the third tier, and they have kept Mark Bonner in charge to achieve this goal at the start of the season.

Football League World about who Cambridge’s top 10 best managers are in order of their win percentage, from lowest to highest.

10 Joe Dunne – 36.6%

Coming in as Cambridge’s tenth-best manager in terms of win percentage is Joe Dunne.

Dunne joined the club initially as an assistant manager to Shaun Derry in 2015. However, following Derry’s departure in February 2018, Dunne was placed in interim charge until the end of the season, before the Irishman took permanent charge for the 2018/19 season. Dunne would not have as successful a period as the permanent manager getting sacked in December 2018 with the club languishing 21st in League Two.

He was in charge for a total of 41 games, winning 15 during his time at the club, giving himself a 36.6% win percentage.

9 Tommy Taylor – 37.8%

Tommy Taylor joined the club initially as a youth team manager in 1993 before being appointed manager of the first team in 1995.

Taylor brought stability back to the club following their relegation from the old Second Division in the 1994/95 season before leaving the club to be appointed Leyton Orient manager.

During his time in charge, he managed 74 games, of which Cambridge won 28, meaning that he had a win percentage of 37.8%, ranking him as the club’s ninth-best manager when it comes to win percentage.

8 Christopher Turner – 37.9%

Former Cambridge player Christopher Turner was appointed in December 1985, as the club sat rock bottom of the Football League at the time, and turned them slowly into promotion candidates due to his stabilisation of the club.

Turner laid the foundations for the next manager to bring about consecutive promotions through the Football League.

Turner is the only manager on the list to have been at the helm for over 200 games, with a total of 208, winning 79, resulting in a 37.9% win record.

7 Shaun Derry – 39.3%

Shaun Derry sits seventh on our list following an uneventful spell in charge of Cambridge.

Derry’s tenure was between November 2015 and February 2018, as he brought about two mid-table finishes for the club.

During his time at the club, Derry managed to win 48 of his 122 matches, giving him a 39.3% win record.

6 Richard Money - 39.4%

Richard Money, a man who won the 1981 European Cup with Liverpool as a player, is sixth on our list.

Money had many great times in his tenure as head coach and manager of Cambridge following his appointment in October 2012. Money gained promotion from the Conference in his first full season in charge via the play-offs, and he followed this up with a memorable draw in the FA Cup against Manchester United the next season at the Abbey Stadium.

Money won 67 of the 170 matches that he was in charge of, giving him a 39.4% win record.

5 Mark Bonner - 40.2%

Fifth on the list is current manager Mark Bonner. During his tenure, he has overseen 174 matches, winning 70, giving Bonner a win percentage of 40.2%.

Bonner served as an assistant head coach for Joe Dunne and Colin Calderwood before being appointed head coach of Cambridge after an incredible interim period.

Bonner has had a successful period as manager, as he achieved promotion to League One in his first full season and has managed to keep the club in the division against the odds.

4 John Beck – 43.1%

John Beck carried on the good work done by previous manager Christopher Turner as Beck achieved back-to-back promotions in his first spell with the club, leading Cambridge to the old Second Division.

Beck’s second spell at the club would also be deemed a success as he rescued the club from relegation in 2001. However, the club favourite would resign early into the next season as relegation looked increasingly likely.

Beck’s second spell did have an impact on the win percentage of his time at Cambridge. Beck would achieve a win percentage of 43.1% as he won 84 games from the 195 matches in which he took charge.

3 Jimmy Quinn – 45.8%

Jimmy Quinn’s first season as Cambridge manager was not impressive, as the club just about managed to stay within the Conference. However, in his second season, he led the club to a second-place finish but narrowly missed out on promotion as the club lost to Exeter City in the play-off final.

The Northern Irishman would leave the club following this disappointment as his contract had expired, but Quinn managed an impressive 45.8% win record as he won 44 of his 96 matches in charge of Cambridge.

2 Ron Atkinson – 46.6%

Ron Atkinson was appointed manager of Cambridge following their relegation to the old Fourth Division.

Atkinson managed to change the fortunes of the club in his tenure, as he led the club back to the old Third Division and had them on the verge of promotion to the old Second Division as he left the club for West Bromwich Albion in January 1978, a feat that was accomplished that season under Atkinson’s assistant John Docherty.

During his impressive 146-match tenure, Atkinson won 68 matches, giving him a win percentage of 46.6%.

1 Gary Brabin – 50%

The club’s current best manager when it comes to win percentage is Gary Brabin.

Brabin managed Cambridge for only one season as he led the club to a second-place finish in the Conference in the 2008/09 season, missing out on promotion as his side lost the play-off final to Torquay United.

Brabin would not get the opportunity to attempt to go one better, as disputes with the board led to his sacking.

This one-season tenure has helped provide Brabin with a 50% win record, as Brabin led the U’s to 27 victories in his 54-game tenure.