Paul Ince sacked as manager of Blackpool, with Barry Ferguson ready to take over
The former Liverpool and Manchester United midfielder departs following a dreadful run
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Blackpool will announce that the former Rangers and Scotland captain Barry Ferguson is to become their manager, after Paul Ince paid the price for nine defeats in ten matches and was sacked today.
Ince’s assistant, Alex Rae, will also be leaving the club, leaving the ground clear for 35-year-old Ferguson to step up from his position on the playing staff at the club. He is understood to want former Dundee United No 2 Malcolm Thomson as his assistant and his appointment is expected to be confirmed in the next 48 hours.
In a statement, Blackpool confirmed Ince's dismissal and said Ferguson will take training on Thursday: "Blackpool Football Club can confirm that manager Paul Ince and assistants Alex Rae and Steve Thompson have had their contracts terminated with immediate effect.
"Barry Ferguson will take charge of training when the players return on Thursday.
"A further announcement will be made in due course."
Ince, Rae and and Steve Thompson – another member of his staff – were called to a meeting with owner Owen Oyston on Sunday after the Championship team's 2-0 defeat at Barnsley 24 hours earlier left the club’s fans angry and hostile. Reports that Ince had been managing talks for his out-of-contract son, Thomas, over a move to Monaco before the Barnsley game have been denied by the former Macclesfield, MK Dons and Blackburn Rovers manager.
Ince did not hold his pre-match press conference before the Barnsley game and neither did he materialise after the Oakwell loss which left his record at 12 wins from 42 matches since replacing Michael Appleton in February 2013. At Sunday’s meeting Oyston demanding an immediate improvement in the team’s performances, though he had backed Ince’s request for reinforcements in the January window. The sacking of the 46-year-old heads off a formal protest which was planned for Saturday’s home game against Doncaster Rovers.
Ferguson, who joined Blackpool for a reported £750,000 from Birmingham City in 2011 had been sent on loan to Fleetwood Town before Ince reinstated him last season.
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