Jim Bentley

Managerial career On 13 May 2011, Bentley was appointed the player-manager of Morecambe on a two-year contract, but since then he has concentrated on the managerial role and did not play a competitive match after taking on the post. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Shrimps on 10 October 2013. A further two-year contract extension was agreed with Morecambe on 29 August 2015. Ken McKenna also agreed the same deal with the League Two club. On 13 October 2017, Bentley and McKenna agreed further contract extensions until the end of the 2019–20 season.

During Morecambe's 1–2 defeat to Cheltenham on 17 December 2016, Bentley was sent off from the dugout, after reacting to Alex Kenyon's dismissal. He received a £750 fine with £250 costs and a two match touchline ban from the FA after a personal hearing. At the following home game, a 4–1 victory over Notts County, Morecambe fans held a 'bucket collection' and raised the £1,000.

After the departure of Paul Tisdale from Exeter City in June 2018, Bentley became the longest serving manager in the top four tiers of English football, until his resignation in October 2019 to become the new manager of AFC Fylde. In March 2022, Bentley was sacked by the National League North club, which was in fourth place, 14 points off top spot.

On 29 August 2022, Bentley was appointed manager of League Two's bottom club Rochdale on a two-year contract. On 27 March 2023, Rochdale sacked him; under Bentley, the side had won just six out of 32 league games and were still bottom, ten points from safety with eight games remaining.

On 29 August 2023, exactly a year after his appointment at Rochdale, Bentley was appointed as manager of National League North club, Southport. At the time of his appointment Southport were at the foot of the table with only one point after six games. Having overseen a turnaround in form, he was awarded the Manager of the Month award for November 2023. He was sacked on 12 March 2025, the club sitting 17th in the league, 11 points clear from safety.

On 1 February 2026, six years after previously leaving the club, Bentley was reappointed as Morecambe manager for the rest of the 2025–26 National League season, replacing Ashvir Singh Johal. On 11 April 2026, Morecambe were relegated to the National League North following a 5–1 defeat at Woking. The club then announced Bentley would be standing down as manager at the end of the season, remaining with the club to support development across footballing and non-footballing areas.

Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

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August 2016 National League North Manager of the Month: November 2023