Football Mourns Jackett
Long-serving football manager Kenny Jackett, who led Wolves and Millwall, dies at 64
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Key Points
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Jackett’s Millwall tenure is detailed as lasting from 2007 to 2013, including the 2010 promotion back to the Championship after consecutive play-off finals and an FA Cup semi-final in 2013.
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In his first full campaign at Millwall, Jackett made notable signings—“David Forde” and “Jimmy Abdou”—and after play-off heartbreak in a “3-2” defeat to Scunthorpe, he returned the Lions to the second tier the following year via a “1-0” win over Swindon Town in which “Paul Robinson” scored.
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At QPR, Jackett joined after Watford in the summer of 2001 when Rangers “had been relegated and were in administration,” and he became “instrumental” in signings such as “Steve Palmer, Chris Day, Richard Johnson and Alex Bonnot,” while playing a “pivotal role” in QPR’s promotion back to the second tier in 2004.
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As a Watford player, Jackett made “428” appearances in a one-club career between 1980-90 and later “played 34 times for Wales,” underscoring his long-standing football links beyond management.
Kenny Jackett, one of English football's most respected managers, has died at the age of 64. The League Managers Association confirmed his death on June 11, 2026, describing him as someone who embodied "humility, professionalism, and a deep care for his players and staff," according to ESPN.
Jackett managed over 900 games across seven clubs, including Millwall, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Portsmouth and Leyton Orient. He is survived by his wife Samantha and sons David and Ryan, The Guardian reported.
A One-Club Player Who Became a Managerial Pillar
Jackett was born in Watford on January 5, 1962. He made 428 appearances for Watford FC between 1980 and 1990, placing him seventh on the club's all-time appearance list. He also earned 31 caps for Wales. Knee injuries forced him into early retirement at just 28, according to The Guardian.
He moved into coaching after his playing days ended. He worked as Graham Taylor's assistant and helped Watford reach the Premier League. In 2001, he joined Ian Holloway at QPR as assistant manager. QPR had just been relegated and were in administration. Jackett helped sign key players including Steve Palmer and Chris Day, and played a pivotal role in QPR's promotion back to the second tier in 2004, The Guardian reported.
Millwall Promotion, Play-Off Heartbreak and an FA Cup Run
Jackett took charge at Millwall in 2007. In 2009, the club lost the League One play-off final 3-2 to Scunthorpe. He responded by signing goalkeeper David Forde and midfielder Jimmy Abdou. The next year, Millwall beat Swindon Town 1-0 at Wembley. Club captain Paul Robinson scored the winner to send the Lions back to the Championship, according to The Guardian.
Jackett stayed at Millwall until 2013. In his final season, he led the club to an FA Cup semi-final — a remarkable achievement for a second-tier side. ESPN noted he managed over 300 games for the club in total, a mark of rare stability in modern football.
Wolves Title Record and Portsmouth Trophy Win Cap Career
Jackett joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2013 after the club had fallen from the Premier League to League One in two seasons. He cleared out big earners and brought in younger players. The result was historic: Wolves won the League One title in 2013-14 with 103 points, a divisional record at the time, Shropshire Star reported. The club credited him with "laying the foundations for the club as we know it today."
He went on to manage Portsmouth from 2017 to 2021. He won the EFL Trophy at Wembley in 2019 in front of a record crowd of 85,021. His final management role was at Leyton Orient in 2021-22. He later became Director of Football at Gillingham but stepped down in November 2024 due to medical reasons, Daily Mail reported.
Football World Mourns a Quiet, Selfless Leader
Tributes poured in from across the English football pyramid. Watford called him "a true club legend" and "one of our own." LMA chief executive Richard Bevan said Jackett "stands as one of the most respected managers to have plied their trade in the EFL," according to Fan Banter.
Analysts noted that Jackett consistently left clubs in better shape than he found them — a quality seen as rare in the modern game. He won four promotions as a manager across Swansea, Millwall, Wolves and Portsmouth. A league-wide minute's applause is anticipated at the start of the 2026-27 season across all clubs he served.
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