.jpg) Edwards in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Owen Edwards[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1982-12-25)25 December 1982 (age 42)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Telford, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Centre-back[3] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Wolverhampton Wanderers (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1999 | Aston Villa[4] | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2004 | Aston Villa | 8 | (0) |
| 2003 | →Crystal Palace (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 2004 | →Derby County (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2004–2008 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 100 | (1) |
| 2008–2011 | Blackpool | 59 | (2) |
| 2011 | →Norwich City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Barnsley | 17 | (0) |
| 2012 | →Fleetwood Town (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2013 | →Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 213 | (5) | |
| International career | |||
| 2003–2006 | Wales | 15 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2016 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (interim) | ||
| 2017–2018 | AFC Telford United | ||
| 2020–2021 | England U16 | ||
| 2021–2022 | Forest Green Rovers | ||
| 2022 | Watford | ||
| 2022–2025 | Luton Town | ||
| 2025 | Middlesbrough | ||
| 2025– | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Robert Owen Edwards (born 25 December 1982) is a professionalfootball manager and former player, who is the current head coach ofPremier League clubWolverhampton Wanderers. Born in England to Welsh parents, he representedWales internationally.[5]
Edwards began his career withAston Villa, making his senior debut in thePremier League. He then moved toWolverhampton Wanderers in 2004, where he spent four seasons at Championship level. He helped bothBlackpool andNorwich City to promotions to the Premier League and featured forBarnsley in the Championship before retiring due to injury in 2013. He played international football forWales, making his debut in 2004 and winning 15 caps in total. He completed his coaching badges with theFootball Association of Wales and moved into management after retiring as a player.
Edwards managed Wolves' academy and had an interim spell at the first team, before leadingAFC Telford United and theEngland under-16 team. He guidedForest Green Rovers to promotion asLeague Two champions in the2021–22 season. Watford appointed Edwards as manager in May 2022 but he was dismissed in September. He joinedLuton Town later that year, leading the club to promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs. In January 2025 he left Luton by mutual agreement, and in June he was appointed head coach ofMiddlesbrough, but left later in the year to rejoin Wolves as manager.
Edwards was born inTelford,Shropshire.[3] He started his career as an apprentice atAston Villa, and worked his way up to his first-team debuton 28 December 2002, in a 1–0 home win overMiddlesbrough.[6] In January 2003, after playing in three consecutive matches at right-back he signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with the club.[7] Edwards went on to make nine appearances in total for Villa, all during2002–03. He was sent on loan toFirst Division clubCrystal Palace in November 2003, where he spent one month, playing six games and scoring one goal in a 1–1 draw withCoventry City.[8]
Edwards then joined fellow First Division clubDerby County on loan in January 2004, where he stayed until the end of theseason. He played ten games for the club, scoring a goal in a 2–1 home win overGillingham on 17 January.[9]
In May 2004, Edwards was told by Aston Villa managerDavid O'Leary that he could leave the club.[10] Edwards made the short journey across theWest Midlands and joinedChampionshipWolverhampton Wanderers that July in a three-year deal for £150,000.[11] After five games in August, he suffered an ankle injury and did not return until February 2005.[12]
Edwards gained more playing time in the2005–06 campaign and he played the majority of the following season under new managerMick McCarthy but suffered knee ligament damage in April 2007.[13] that kept him out of the season's end as the team made the play-offs.
He again suffered knee ligament injury, in a reserve team match againstWalsall in September 2007.[14] He scored his only goal for Wolves on 9 February 2008 in a 4–2 home defeat toStoke City.[15] He was placed on the transfer list in May.[16]
In August 2008, Edwards left Wolves to joinBlackpool, signing a two-year contract with an option for a further year for an undisclosed fee.[17][18] He made his debut for the Seasiders on 9 August 2008 in a 1–0 home defeat toBristol City. Edwards was captain of the side for the 1–1 draw atNorwich City on 16 August asKeith Southern who had captained the side up to then in the2008–09 season, was suspended. ManagerSimon Grayson appointed him as team captain for the rest of the season.[19][20] His first goal forthe Seasiders came on 29 December 2008 when he scored Blackpool's second equaliser in a 2–2 draw against his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers atBloomfield Road.[21]
Ian Holloway was appointed as Blackpool manager in June 2009,[22] and gave Edwards 21 league appearances as the club went on to finish in 6th place, qualifying for the play-offs. After beatingNottingham Forest in the semi-finals, Blackpool won promotion to the Premier League by beatingCardiff City in theplay-offs final, where Edwards was an unused substitute. Ahead of the 2010-11 season he agreed a new contract with Blackpool, a one-year deal with an option for a further 12 months,[23] with playing in the Premier League being the reason behind him signing.[24] Edwards signed for Championship team Norwich City on loan until the end of the season in February 2011.[25] He made his debut as a second-half substitute forZak Whitbread in the 1–1 draw againstPreston North End on 5 March, and made two more appearances as the club won promotion to the Premier League.
Edwards was released by Blackpool at the end of the 2010-11 season and signed forBarnsley.[26] He made his debut for the club in a 0–0 draw againstNottingham Forest on 21 February 2012. After not making a first team appearance in 2012-13, Edwards was loaned toLeague Two clubFleetwood Town in 2012. The following 31 January, he returned to his home county and joinedLeague One teamShrewsbury Town on loan for a month.[27] Days after the deal was expanded for the rest of the season, he was ruled out with a thigh muscle injury in training.[28] He retired from playing in October 2013.[29]
Edwards representedEngland at youth level, but not in aUEFA-recognised game, so qualified forWales as his parents are both Welsh.[30] He made his debut for Wales before he left Aston Villa, on 29 March 2003, in a 4–0European Championship qualifying victory overAzerbaijan.[31]
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On 11 October 2013, Edwards announced that he had retired from professional football at the age of 30.[29] He did his coaching badges with theFootball Association of Wales.[32] He became Under-18s coach at Wolves, and his first season in charge (2014–15) was considered very successful by local newspaperExpress & Star.[33] He was promoted to help Head CoachKenny Jackett for the final two months of the season, and then to the role of full-time First Team Coach during the summer of 2015.
On 25 October 2016 Edwards was appointed interim head coach at Wolves following the sacking ofWalter Zenga.[34] He took charge of two games – a 1–1 draw atBlackburn Rovers, followed by a 2–3 defeat to Derby – beforePaul Lambert took charge. Edwards remained at the club in the role of first team coach until the conclusion of the season when he departed alongside Lambert.[35]
On 28 June 2017, Edwards was named as the new manager of his hometown clubAFC Telford United.[36] The Bucks finished in 14th place in theNational League North, 10 points outside the play-offs. Edwards left by mutual consent at the end of the season.[37]
Edwards was appointed as the head coach ofWolverhampton Wanderers U23 on 20 July 2018.[38] In his first season in charge, he led them to promotion toPremier League 2 Division 1, the highest level of youth football, for the first time in their history.[39]
In October 2019, Edwards left Wolves to take up a 'prestigious role' withThe Football Association working as a coach with theEngland U20s.[40] On 24 September 2020, he was appointed as head coach for theEngland under-16 team.[41]
On 27 May 2021, Edwards was appointed Head Coach of League Two sideForest Green Rovers, joining the role on 4 June in order to be able to finish the season with his England sides.[42] After picking up four wins from his first five matches, Edwards was awarded theEFL League Two Manager of the Month award for August 2021 with his star strikerMatty Stevens winning the Player of the Month award.[43] He won the award for a second time for November following three wins from three.[44]
Edwards then won the manager of the month award for a third time for January 2022 after picking up 14 points from six matches, including a 4–0 win away at second-placedTranmere Rovers, moving ten points clear at the top of the league.[45] On 23 April, Forest Green drew 0–0 away atBristol Rovers to secure promotion toLeague One for the first time in the club's history.[46] The following day, Edwards was named the 2021–22EFL League Two Manager of the Season at the league's annual awards ceremony.[47] On 11 May, he departed the club following negotiations withWatford.[48]
On 11 May 2022, Edwards was announced as the new head coach ofWatford, taking over fromRoy Hodgson at the conclusion of the2021–22 season.[49] His first game on 1 August was a 1–0 home win overSheffield United with a goal byJoão Pedro.[50]
On 26 September 2022, Edwards was sacked as head coach after winning three out of ten league games and with Watford in 10th place.Slaven Bilic succeeded him on the same day.[51]
On 17 November 2022, Edwards was appointed manager of Championship clubLuton Town, rivals of Edwards' previous club Watford.[52] In his first season at the club, he guided Luton to thePremier League, via theplay-offfinal againstCoventry City, through a third-place finish in theChampionship and a two legged play-off semi-final win overSunderland.[53] His Luton Town team subsequently beat Coventry in the EFL Championship playoff final, drawing 1–1 after extra time, and winning 6–5 on penalties.[54] Despite taking them to the Premier League, his team were relegated at the end of the season after a 4–2 home defeat toFulham.[55]
In January 2025, following a 2–1 away defeat toQPR and having only achieved seven wins in twenty six games, Edwards left Luton Town by mutual agreement.[56] By the time of his departure, Luton were sitting 20th in the Championship, only two points above the relegation zone.[57]
On 24 June 2025, Edwards was appointed head coach of Championship clubMiddlesbrough on a three-year contract.[58] Following a perfect start to the season, winning the first four fixtures of the2025–26 season with just one goal conceded, he was namedEFL Championship Manager of the Month for August.[59]
In November 2025, Edwards was approached byWolverhampton Wanderers over their head coach vacancy. Despite the club initially rejecting this approach, they granted Edwards permission to discuss with Wolves on 8 November, with Edwards not taking charge of the club's match that day againstBirmingham City. He left Middlesbrough with the team sitting 2nd in the table.[60][61]
On 12 November 2025, Edwards was appointed manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers on a 3-year deal, returning to the club he began his coaching career at and replacingVítor Pereira. Wolves paid Middlesbrough a reported compensation fee of around£3.8 million for him and his assistantHarry Watling.[62]
Edwards is the cousin of fellow coachSean Parrish.[63]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa | 2002–03[64] | Premier League | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2003–04[65] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| Crystal Palace (loan) | 2003–04[65] | First Division | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | |
| Derby County (loan) | 2003–04[65] | First Division | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2004–05[66] | Championship | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |
| 2005–06[67] | Championship | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 45 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07[68] | Championship | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| 2007–08[69] | Championship | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | ||
| Total | 100 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 111 | 1 | ||
| Blackpool | 2008–09[70] | Championship | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 37 | 2 | |
| 2009–10[71] | Championship | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
| 2010–11[72] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 59 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 67 | 2 | ||
| Norwich City (loan) | 2010–11[72] | Championship | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Barnsley | 2011–12[73] | Championship | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |
| 2012–13[74] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |||
| Fleetwood Town (loan) | 2012–13[74] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 2012–13[74] | League One | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 213 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 235 | 5 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers (interim) | 25 October 2016 | 5 November 2016 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 000.00 |
| AFC Telford United | 30 June 2017 | 4 May 2018 | 49 | 20 | 6 | 23 | 040.82 |
| England U16 | 24 September 2020 | 5 June 2021 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 050.00 |
| Forest Green Rovers | 5 June 2021 | 11 May 2022 | 53 | 24 | 19 | 10 | 045.28 |
| Watford | 23 May 2022 | 26 September 2022 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 027.27 |
| Luton Town | 17 November 2022 | 9 January 2025 | 103 | 32 | 25 | 46 | 031.07 |
| Middlesbrough | 24 June 2025 | 12 November 2025 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 046.67 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 12 November 2025 | present | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 000.00 |
| Total | 235 | 87 | 61 | 87 | 037.02 | ||
Blackpool
Forest Green Rovers
Luton Town
Individual
