Former Forest Green boss Steve Cotterill is understood to be in advanced talks to make a sensational returned to Cheltenham Town, according to journalist Jon Palmer.
The fans’ favourite is set to return to the town of his birth more than two decades after he first made his managerial name at Whaddon Road.
In a post on X, Palmer said: “I understand Cheltenham Town are in discussions with the most successful manager in the club’s history Steve Cotterill over a possible return.”
The 61-year-old is a regular in the boardroom at the Gloucestershire club and was recently spotted as the Robins suffered a 3-0 defeat at home, a result that proved the final straw for Michael Flynn, who departed with Cheltenham rooted to the bottom of League Two.
Cheltenham were walloped 7-1 on Saturday at Grimsby Town, finishing the game with just nine players.
Cotterill departed Forest Green Rovers in June after chairman Dale Vince ended his 18-month reign at the New Lawn. Cotterill led Rovers to third in the table last season, but they were beaten by Southend United on penalties in the play-offs to miss out on a place in the Wembley final.
Before that, he enjoyed a long and varied managerial career that has included spells in charge of Burnley, Stoke City, Notts County, Portsmouth, Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Shrewsbury Town.
He is also well acquainted with Cheltenham’s new chairman Mike Garlick, having worked alongside him during a three-year stint at Burnley in the mid-2000s. Their relationship is seen as a key factor in the speculation linking Cotterill with a Robins return.
