Leyton Orient Turner started his managerial career at
Leyton Orient as joint-manager with
John Sitton at the start of the
1994–95 season. The campaign was unsuccessful, as Orient were relegated out of the Second Division in last place, and new chairman
Barry Hearn sacked the pair on 20 April 1995. After leaving
Brisbane Road, Turner was appointed as
reserve team coach at
Leicester City by manager
Mark McGhee, and later moved with McGhee to
Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he was appointed youth team coach.
Hartlepool United Turner was appointed manager at
Hartlepool United by chairman
Ken Hodcroft on 24 February 1999, who were sitting bottom of
the Football League following
Mick Tait's departure. He proved to be an instant success at
Victoria Park, keeping the Monkey Hangers two places and three points ahead of
Scarborough, who were relegated into
non-League football and never to return at the end of the
1998–99 season following a real upturn in form. He then led Pools to a seventh-place finish in
1999–2000, though a 3–0
aggregate defeat to
Darlington in the play-off semi-finals saw them remain in the Third Division. He was named as
Third Division Manager of the Month for January 2001.
Sheffield Wednesday Turner took charge at Sheffield Wednesday 26 years after first making his debut for the club. He was unable to save the club from relegation to the third tier at the end of the
2002–03 season, and later said it was "virtually a no-win situation" and that it was "like trying to build a shed without the tools. We had a lot of blunt tools, but no sharp ones". They also struggled to adapt in the Second Division, and ended the
2003–04 campaign in 16th-place and were the division's lowest scorers with 48 goals. He released 13 players in May 2004. Turner was sacked on 18 September 2004 after a slow start to the
League One campaign left Wednesday languishing in 14th-place. He stated that "I've given it everything I had – we just needed more time". His successor,
Paul Sturrock, steered the club to promotion at the end of the
2004–05 season, ironically beating Turner's former club Hartlepool in the play-off final.
Stockport County Turner returned to management with
Stockport County on 19 December 2004, who were bottom of League One. He was unable to turn the "Hatters" around, and County ended the
2004–05 season relegated in last place. They went on to struggle in
League Two, and Turner left the club by mutual consent on 27 December 2005, with Stockport now five points adrift at the bottom of the Football League. His replacement at
Edgeley Park,
Jim Gannon, managed to keep Stockport out of the relegation zone at the end of the
2005–06 season.
Return to Hartlepool In February 2006, Turner returned to Hartlepool United in the newly created position of Director of Sport, with
Paul Stephenson working as
caretaker manager; Turner's role left him to administer "the club's overseas participation in football tournaments, pre-season planning, conferences and Football League issues". On 15 December 2008, Turner took over as caretaker manager at Hartlepool following the departure of
Danny Wilson, in addition to his Director of Sport role at the club. He then led Hartlepool to a 19th-place finish in League One at the end of the
2008–09 season, two places and one point above the relegation zone. Speaking in January 2010, Turner responded to criticism from supporters by saying that "people have to realise to get into the top six is very difficult for the majority of clubs in this division". Pools ended the
2009–10 campaign above the relegation zone on goal difference after being deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player as
Gary Liddle played against Brighton & Hove Albion when he should have served a suspension. On 19 August 2010, Turner resigned from his position at Hartlepool. He had previously stated his frustration at what he said was a lack of funds to sign players. Over the summer he had released eight players but was only able to make four new signings. His successor,
Mick Wadsworth, took the club to a 16th-place finish at the end of the
2010–11 season.
Later career In October 2010, Turner fronted an ultimately unsuccessful bid to purchase Sheffield Wednesday. He went on to become chief executive of
Chesterfield in December 2011, replacing Carol Wilby. He switched roles to
director of football in January 2017, before he was made redundant two months later. He applied to take charge at Hartlepool for a third time in May 2017, citing 'unfinished business', but was unsuccessful. He was appointed as the new sales and marketing manager at
Port Vale in November 2017. He left the role in June 2018 after being informed of the club's decision to make a change. Turner helped to found a new club
Wakefield A.F.C. in 2019 and was appointed as
director of football. ==Career statistics==