Ray Lewington

Raymond Lewington (born 7 September 1956) is an English football manager and former player.

Born in London, he started his playing career in the city at Chelsea. He went on to play for Vancouver Whitecaps, Wimbledon, Sheffield United, and had two spells at Fulham, for whom he made 234 Football League appearances. In his second spell at Fulham Lewington was player-manager.

Following the end of his time as a player he has spent most of the rest of his career as a coach or assistant manager, with spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham, as well as the England national football team. Outside of positions acting as caretaker, he has also been first team manager at Brentford and Watford.

Playing career Lewington started his career at Chelsea in the 1970s, and played a season at Vancouver Whitecaps in 1979 where he was part of the Whitecaps' championship squad that won the NASL Soccer Bowl '79, before a loan spell at Wimbledon.

Managerial career

Lewington became player-manager of Fulham after they were relegated to the Football League Third Division in July 1986. Lewington, still only 29, was the youngest manager in the Football League at the time. Fulham's budget was tight and they could only manage an 18th-place finish in Lewington's first season as manager. Off the field, the club was unstable after two takeovers in quick succession and the suggestion of a merger with their West London rivals Queens Park Rangers. In December 2007, Lewington served a brief stint as caretaker manager after the departure of Lawrie Sanchez, managing the team for three games until Roy Hodgson was appointed full-time. He remained at Craven Cottage as part of the management team as assistant manager.

Mark Hughes resigned after the end of the 2010–11 season and his successor Martin Jol reinstated Lewington as first team coach in June 2011, alongside Jol's assistants Michael Lindeman and Cornelius Jol. Jol said: "We started off with him because he's probably a main figure here, at this club, he knows everything."

On 4 May 2012, it was confirmed that Lewington would become England assistant manager alongside Roy Hodgson, who had just accepted the FA's offer to manage the England team, having previously managed West Bromwich Albion. On 27 June 2016 he resigned as part of the England coaching staff after the defeat to Iceland in Euro 2016.

On 12 September 2017, following the appointment of Hodgson as manager of Crystal Palace, it was announced that Lewington would once again return to the club as assistant manager. When Hodgson stepped down at the end of the 2020–21 season, Lewington also left his position.

In March 2023, Lewington returned to Crystal Palace for a third spell in the role of first-team coach, following the appointment of Hodgson on a short-term contract until the end of the season, the duo staying on for the 2023–24 season having successfully helped the club avoid relegation. His departure from the club was announced on 21 February 2024, two days after Hodgson's resignation.

Personal life One of Lewington's sons, Dean, is a professional footballer who played for Milton Keynes Dons and is their longest serving player . His other son, Craig, has played for a number of non-league sides. Lewington's nephew Luke Ayling currently plays for Championship team Middlesbrough FC.

Honours As a manager Brentford Football League Trophy runner-up: 2000–01