SPFL boss emerges as leading candidate for English vacancy after EFL departure

St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson could make a shock departure from the sMiSA Stadium this month after he emerged as a front runner for a top EFL Championship job.

The Northern Irish head coach was linked to the vacant role at north east giants Sunderland in the summer before they appointed French boss Regis Le Bris, and has previously been tipped with several high profile jobs in the English second tier after his impressive work with both St Mirren and Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

The 50-year-old head coach previously took Motherwell to the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup final in 2018 before joining St Mirren in 2022 after a short stint at Morecambe. Robinson then took the Paisley based side into Europe last season, achieving a fifth place in the Scottish Premiership, and St Mirren are on course for another top-half finish this term with the side currently occupying sixth place in the table.

His success in Scotland hasn’t gone unnoticed either, with Robinson has now been installed as a 4/1 favourite by Gambling.com to be appointed the new manager of Luton Town, who today mutual parted ways with head coach Rob Edwards after four successive league defeats left them in a danger of a second successive relegation.

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson. | SNS Group

Edwards led Luton to the promised land of the English Premier League in his first season in charge at Kenilworth Road, but has struggled this season after the club’s relegation from the top tier last year. The London-based club are just two points clear of the EFL Championship relegation spots following a 2-1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers on Monday, leading to the Hatters hierarchy and Edwards to part ways with the 42-year-old.

And that could lead to Luton turning to former favourite Robinson, who is a popular figure at Kenilworth Road having spent six successful seasons with the club during his playing career. The Northern Ireland manager played 185 times for Luton, winning the League One title in 2005.

Ex-Celtic and Hibs boss Neil Lennon has also been strongly linked to the vacant role, with odds as short as 5/2 for him to be installed as the next Luton boss, though Wycombe Wanderers head coach Matt Bloomfield has been installed is the early front runner for the role with odds of just 2/1 after leading the Adams Park side to second place in EFL League One.