Ciaran Donnelly could not resist the revolution at Blackpool

Blackpool’s new academy director Ciaran Donnelly says he had to return to Bloomfield Road as he couldn’t bear the thought of not being involved in the club’s rejuvenation.
Ciaran Donnelly (right) with fellow coach Richie Kyle, now working for the FA, when he was last at Blackpool in 2017Ciaran Donnelly (right) with fellow coach Richie Kyle, now working for the FA, when he was last at Blackpool in 2017
Ciaran Donnelly (right) with fellow coach Richie Kyle, now working for the FA, when he was last at Blackpool in 2017
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The 36-year-old left neighbours Fleetwood Town after three years to help spearhead Blackpool’s bid to revolutionise its youth set-up from top to bottom.

Owner Simon Sadler wants the club’s youth team to become the best category three academy in the country before eventually progressing to category two level.

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Donnelly will also lead the academy into the 2020s and deliver Pool’s ‘5 in 25’ academy vision – the club’s objective to see five academy products reach the first-team squad by 2025.

The Blackpool-born former midfielder, who previously served the club as both a player and a coach, enjoyed major success at the club in his previous stint, steering the club’s Under-18s to a league and cup double in 2017.

“It feels good walking back out into the stadium again and looking around,” he said. “I’m coming back to a club where I’ve previously spent so much time, but I’m coming back with a fresh approach and a new vision for what this academy can be.

“It’s great to see the new direction the club is going in and I want to be a part of it.

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“I’d have hated to have been sat on the sidelines watching it happen.

“I’m eager to get started and I’m really looking forward to the challenge it presents.”

“When I left three years ago I didn’t ever think I would be coming back. It was never in my plan to do that.

“But seeing the direction the club is now going in, feeling the atmosphere around the place and speaking to the people running the club, it was just something I wanted to be a part of.

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“I want to help create that new legacy for the club. It’s such an exciting project to be a part of and one that is close to my heart.

“I feel completely engaged with it and can’t wait to get started.”

Donnelly, who left Blackpool to make the move to Poolfoot Farm in 2017, has nothing but good things to say about his experiences with Fleetwood.

“I want to thank them for the opportunity I had there, I learned a lot about myself and I learned a lot about the job because I’m still relatively young in terms of this kind of role,” he said.

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“It was a great experience and I wish them all the best. This was just a job I had to put my name into contention for, and when I spoke to the people at the club about it it’s just what I want to do.”