'I moved my wife 48 times:' Ex-Blackpool, Crystal Palace and QPR boss Ian Holloway shares the 'shocking' impact football management had on his family

The 60-year-old, who guided the Seasiders to the Premier League during his time with the club, has spent time talking to a range of different coaches as part of his new documentary The Hotseat.

Holloway admits being the figurehead of a football team is something that can be harmful over a long period of time, but states he was always willing to play that part.

“I do believe we have a persona we have to live up to when we are representing a club,” he said.

“When you’re on your way to work you have to be ready to get into what I call a manager’s suit.

“You have to be the one that picks everyone up, you can never switch off.

“I found that after the success we had, I had to be that person all of the time.

“Any time I took my wife out anywhere, people would stop you and you become that piece of Blackpool FC that they think they can talk to.

“I never gave up on that, I always spoke to everyone, and in the end we had to move because it became too much.

“It does harm you slightly. I think it helped me talking to Mick McCarthy because it helped me to realise that we’ve all been through it.

“Some of the young ones I spoke to when I was travelling around the country, they said they didn’t feel like that, but I was like ‘you will.’

“You don’t know what the job is until you’ve done it as long as we have.

“I can look in the mirror and say ‘what an ugly bloke, but he tried as hard as he could.’"

Holloway admits he was shocked to discover just how much his job as a manager impacted his family.

“My daughters being deaf probably helped because they didn’t realise what people were saying at school,” he added.

“They got really confused because they thought I owned QPR, so when I got the sack, a lot of the kids in school were mocking my kids.

“After that they never went to another game- ever.

“I moved my wife 48 times. She had to change and make a home in a new building 48 times.

“That’s too much for me to ask, it’s almost a bit selfish.

“Yes, they make sacrifices. My son remembers getting taunted at school when I was a player for QPR.

“It does affect them, and you don’t want to do that yourself with your bad moods.

“I didn’t realise I did that, but talking to my wife doing this documentary- I was totally shocked by what she said to me.

“It really knocked me sideways. I was like ‘why didn’t you talk to me about it.’

“Maybe I should’ve realised, but I do now.”

Ian Holloway, speaking at the launch of his new documentary, ‘The Hotseat’ brought to you by Sky Bet. You can find the documentary on The League of 72 YouTube Channel.