Bert Tann

Bert Tann

Personal information
Full name	Bertram James Tann
Date of birth	(1914-05-04)4 May 1914
Place of birth	Plaistow, England
Date of death
Place of death	Bristol, England
Position(s)	Wing-half
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1931–1932	Clapton Orient	0	(0)
1932–1933	Romford
1933–1939	Charlton Athletic	19	(2)
Managerial career
1947	Fredrikstad
1950–1968	Bristol Rovers
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Bert Tann (4 May 1914 – 12 May 1972) was a football manager and player, who managed Bristol Rovers for 18 years, from 1950 to 1968. He was the longest-serving post-war manager of Rovers, and the second longest overall behind Alfred Homer.

Playing career

During his playing career in the 1930s he was primarily a wing-half, and after brief spells with Clapton Orient and Romford he joined Charlton Athletic. He first played a league game for Charlton in the 1933–34 season, and went on to play in 19 league games for them until 1938–39. During World War II, he guested for Southampton, making 36 appearances. He also appeared as a guest player for West Ham United in World War II making just one appearance.

Coaching career

In 1947 he became coach of Fredrikstad in Norway. He led them to the 1946/47 Ostfoldserien championship.

In 1950 he became manager of Bristol Rovers, and with Tann in charge, Rovers were promoted to the Football League Second Division for the first time in 1952-53, and he led them to 6th-place finishes in both 1955-56 and 1958-59, as well to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1950-51 and 1957-58.