Ex-Portsmouth, Lincoln and Oxford boss makes managerial return at former club Blackpool

The 46-year-old has been appointed manager of former club Blackpool after signing a four-year deal with the Championship outfit.

He returns to Bloomfield after managing the Tangerines for just 65 days back in the 2012-13 season.

Appleton, who stepped down from his role as Lincoln boss at the end of last term, replaces Neil Critchley after he left to become Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Aston Villa.

He told the club website: ‘I am absolutely delighted to be here.

‘To be able to come back to the club, with where it is at during this moment in time, after two really successful seasons, I can't wait to get started.’

Appleton first managed Blackpool in 2012 – after resigning from his position at Blues boss in the November of that year.

He moved to Bloomfield Road less than a year after his Fratton Park appointment – a switch that was made for the sake of the former Manchester United trainee’s ‘sanity’.

Yet he was on the move again in January 2013 when he was named Blackburn manager following the sacking on Henning Berg.

Since leaving Pompey, Appleton has also managed Oxford (2014-17), Leicester (caretaker boss – 2017) and Lincoln (2019-22).