Blackpool chief executive relishes the challenge ahead at Bloomfield Road

The former Maccabi Tel Aviv man is only 12 days into his role, yet has already spoken about his lofty ambitions of wanting to take the club back to the Premier League.

However, in the short term, the aim is to implement the correct infrastructure with a new training ground, an improved East Stand and improvements to the academy.

One of his first jobs will be to identify targets for the January transfer window and speak to Blackpool’s out-of-contract players.

When asked how big a challenge it will be to get Blackpool to where owner Simon Sadler wants them to be, Mansford said: “I think that’s what appeals to me.

“It’s not often you can get into something from the beginning. Simon has only owned the club five months but we’ve already come so far.

“I see what we’re already involved in for the future.

“It is a big challenge but that’s the exciting part of it. It’s about being able to bounce in and trying to affect what has changed.

“Some change we will be able to do quickly compared to the upset and disappointment of the past, but some of it will take a long time.

“It’s not often in your life you can really drive something and take a pride in being able to achieve something.

“I’m so excited about being here.”

Despite living and working in Hong Kong, Sadler remains heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the club.

But he felt it was important to implement his own team at Bloomfield Road, with Linton Brown, Tommy Johnson and Jonathan Gibson recently moving to Blackpool to work with Mansford.

“I have a lot of contact with Simon,” Mansford added.

“He said himself, at the start, he thinks the time difference helps. He thinks he can do the day job, which is a fairly intensive one!

“Occasionally we speak while the stock exchange is open and he’s barking numbers and asking for data – I find it mesmerising, it’s very impressive.

“Then when he winds down, and sometimes after spending some time with the family, he comes back online as it’s lunchtime here and we talk.

“He hasn’t been the success he is without being under the skin of what has been going on.

“Although he’s been very keen to bring in a management team that is his, he absolutely wants to know what is going on.

“As a local fan that’s had an incredibly successful business for a number of years, I can learn a lot from him.”