Ex-Blackpool and Leicester City figure appears as new joint-favourite to take over vacant Seasiders role

Neil Critchley was sacked from his role at Bloomfield Road on Wednesday, just over a year after making a return to the Fylde Coast.

In his first stint, the 45-year-old guided Blackpool to the Championship via the play-offs, but failed to replicate that success this time around, with the club finishing eighth in League One last season.

At the start of the current campaign, the Seasiders have suffered back-to-back league defeats to newly-promoted Crawley Town and Stockport County, with the 3-0 loss to the latter spelling the end for Critchley.

A new name has now appeared on Bettingodds.com’s list of potential replacements for the former Liverpool figure.

Current Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens has become the new joint-favourite at 2/1.

The 44-year-old knows Blackpool well, having scored 11 times in 174 appearances for the club during his playing career, with the Manchester United youth product making the move to Bloomfield Road in 2000.

Following his departure from the Fylde Coast in 2005, the midfielder also represented the likes of Oldham Athletic, Doncaster Rovers and Leicester City.

After hanging up his playing boots in 2017, Wellens went on to manage Oldham, Swindon Town, Salford City and Doncaster, before taking his current role at Brisbane Road.

Ex-Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe also remains at 2/1 just weeks after his departure from Deepdale, but the Gazette understands the 45-year-old is not under consideration for the role.

Former Barrow boss Pete Wild is also still high up the list at 4/1, while Blackpool interim head coach Richard Keogh at 8/1 - with the recently-retired defender set to take charge of the Seasiders’ game away to Cambridge United this weekend.

Brian Barry Murphy (10/1), Scott Lindsey (12/1) and Paul Cook (16/1) all remain on the list as well.