Brett Ormerod column: Simon Grayson’s Blackpool exit was a shock but football can be a cut-throat industry

As I said in my last column, he was backed heavily during the January transfer window, when the owner Simon Sadler spent a lot of money on improving the squad.

But at the end of the day it’s a results business and the chairman obviously felt it was time for a change.

Were the signings made in January the ones Simon wanted? Or were they made by those above him? You just don’t know, do you?

But to have 12 signings made in January, that’s as much as I’ve seen any club do halfway through the season. Bringing in so many new players has certainly never happened before at Blackpool.

But ultimately the last couple of months haven’t been as good as the club would have hoped for, so the chairman obviously felt he had no choice.

There’s always more pressure on a manager if you have a chairman who is very ambitious – that brings its own kind of pressures.

The club had a good start to the season and were up there near the top of the table early doors.

But since they beat Fleetwood Town at Bloomfield Road on December 7 it’s just gone the wrong way and Simon wasn’t able to replicate that early form.

As I say, when you don’t get the results it’s always going to be difficult and the chairman felt he had to act.

When it comes to credentials, Simon is one of the most experienced, knowledgeable and successful managers in League One.

But it doesn’t always work out and it’s one of those sad parts of football – the business can be very ruthless when you’re not getting results.

I’m sure there will be plenty of people interested in the vacancy because it’s a fantastic job.

There are a lot of managers out there who are either wanting to step up or don’t have a job at the moment, so I’m sure the club will be receiving CVs already and have agents getting in touch.

Is it too early for my old team-mate Ian Evatt?

Well, you never say never, do you? You don’t know until you get the chance.

What he’s doing at Barrow is absolutely superb, so if he got the opportunity you never know how it might work out.

I know he turned AFC Fylde down earlier in the season but Blackpool is a different prospect entirely. It is a club he’s had great success at.

But you don’t know how these things work – the owner might already have someone lined up.

As a player, you just have to get on with it. There will be disappointment among the group.

They will be gutted and will feel they’ve had a big part in Simon getting the sack. You don’t do it on purpose but sometimes it just happens that way.

But football never stands still, it’s always moving forward. It’s volatile but it’s about getting on with it.

Whoever comes in has got to try to implement the ideas they have as quickly as possible.

Blackpool have a game to think about at Bristol Rovers this weekend.

What’s their aim now? There are still plenty of points left to play for and maybe that’s what the owner is thinking.

If they can get somebody in now, they might be able to salvage their season, go on a run and still challenge for the play-offs.

It will be interesting to see what the next couple of days bring, just to see if Sadler does have someone already in mind.