Blackpool sack Critchley after back-to-back losses

Blackpool person sacked caput coach Neil Critchley aft they began their 2024-25 League One run pinch back-to-back defeats.

Critchley, 45, arrived for a 2nd spell astatine nan nine successful May 2023 having led nan nine to promotion to nan Championship 2 years previously.

The Seasiders missed retired connected a play-off spot by 3 points past term, finishing nan run successful eighth position.

The nine confirmed that first-team coach Richard Keogh will return complete arsenic interim caput coach, starting pinch Saturday's travel to Cambridge United.

"Despite his champion efforts complete nan past 12 months, location person been a number of disappointing results and performances which intends that a alteration is needed to springiness nan nine each imaginable chance of competing astatine nan apical extremity of nan section this season," owner Simon Sadler said., external

“I will ever beryllium thankful for Neil’s awesome efforts successful guiding nan nine to promotion to nan Championship successful 2021, and past comfortably keeping america successful nan section nan pursuing season.

“I and each astatine nan nine wish Neil and Mike nan very champion for nan future.”

Following Blackpool's League One play-off triumph successful 2021, Critchley kept nan nine successful nan 2nd tier nan pursuing play but went connected to subordinate Steven Gerrard's unit astatine Aston Villa successful 2022.

He later had a 12-game stint successful complaint of QPR, during which clip nan Rs won conscionable once, earlier he was sacked successful February 2023.

Critchley returned to Bloomfield Road pursuing nan club's relegation backmost to League One astatine nan extremity of nan 2022-23 play but fell short of a top-six spot past term.

The nine were defeated by recently promoted Crawley Town and Stockport County successful their opening 2 games of this play anterior to Critchley's departure.