Blackpool FC receivers appoint Michael Bolingbroke as executive chairman

The experienced football operator takes on the role having initially acted as a consultant to the board, a position he started at the end of February.

Bolingbroke has since worked extensively with Ben Hatton, Ian Currie, Tim Fielding and others and was recently in attendance at the fans' forum at Bloomfield Road.

A qualified chartered accountant, Bolingbroke became the first chief operating officer of Manchester United in 2007, spending seven years at Old Trafford before heading to Inter Milan as chief executive in 2014.

As well as having a highly distinguished background in sport, he has also worked in similar positions across the entertainment industry.

Court appointed receivers Paul Cooper and David Rubin, of David Rubin & Partners, said: “Michael Bolingbroke joining the board as executive chairman makes a significant and positive statement about the future of Blackpool Football Club.

"Michael has worked at the highest levels of the game and his leadership, insight and expertise will be hugely beneficial as we now prepare for the sale process.”

At Manchester United, Bolingbroke served as the principal financial officer until April 2014.

In that role he was responsible for ticketing, hospitality, match and non-matchday operations, club secretarial functions, property management and corporate services including finance, human resources, legal and information technology.

He also served as the senior vice president of shows at Cirque du Soleil from March 2001 to April 2007.

Bolingbroke added: "I have been excited by the challenge here at Blackpool and look forward to further building on the work that the board and myself have done so far, as we work with all stakeholders to help and enhance the club prior to sale.”