Matt Scrafton's verdict as Michael Appleton — whose Blackpool appointment was 'doomed to failure from the start' — is given the boot at Bloomfield Road

Rightly or wrongly, a good chunk of the fanbase weren’t having Michael Appleton as the club’s new head coach when he arrived as the surprise replacement for Neil Critchley back in June.

Whether it was the 47-year-old’s exit after just 65 days the first time round, his previous PNE links or possessing a CV not particularly suited to the Championship, it’s fair to say the reaction to his return was luke warm at best.

Clubs shouldn’t always be dictated by what the fans want, they have to have their own minds and believe in their own processes when it comes to appointing a new head coach. But in this instance it was clear to the vast majority that Appleton wasn’t the right fit.

The former Lincoln City man was the board’s unanimous candidate but for the fans, it’s not a stretch to say he was no-one’s first choice. That sounds blunt but even Appleton was acutely aware of that.

Because of that, Blackpool’s new man was always fighting a losing battle and at the first sign of serious trouble, you knew the supporters would turn.

That moment came at Wigan when the chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” were audibly loud and clear following another damaging loss, their fourth on the spin at that particular point of time.

The only surprising thing is that it’s taken this long for the club to wield the axe, given the Seasiders are now in the midst of a 10-game winless run, which leaves them three points adrift of safety ahead of Saturday’s huge six-pointer against Huddersfield.

Unfortunately for Appleton the numbers just don’t lie. A win ratio in the Championship of 22 per cent is pitiful, worse than Neil McDonald’s 26 per cent (albeit during the relegation season in League One). Only four points have been collected out of a possible 30 since their last win and there’s been just six victories out of 27 in the league.

If it had been allowed to continue, there’s no doubt the Seasiders would have been lining up in League One next season.

That could well still happen, but at least the club are giving themselves a chance now and are providing the new man, whoever that may be, with enough time to turn it around.

Judging by the club’s official statement, the appointment sounds imminent.

The frustrating thing is that so much of this could have been foreseen. The club weren’t exactly blessed with brilliant candidates when Critchley left, Liam Rosenior and Michael Duff being the only other serious contenders in the frame.

But so much of what has transpired this season, namely the disconnect between the fans and the head coach, also occurred while Appleton nearly relegated his former club Lincoln to League Two last season.

There are other similarities as well, such as the dire home form, the constant talking down and lowering of expectations, the lightweight midfield, the injuries and the odd encouraging performance that gives you hope the corner was about to be turned before eventually turning out to be another false dawn.

For the first few months of his second spell at Bloomfield Road I certainly had sympathy for Appleton. He didn’t get the players he needed during the summer and once Josh Bowler left on deadline day, it was patently obvious to everyone of a tangerine persuasion that a relegation fight was on the cards.

If you’re to appoint a head coach like Appleton, who is a 4-3-3 man down to a tee, you have to give him the tools to do the job and bring in the players that can play his style. Blackpool didn’t have that at the time given Appleton was inheriting a Critchley squad, one that could perform in a variety of systems and wasn’t rooted to one single structure.

By comparison, and of his own admission, Appleton isn’t known for his tactical flexibility and his ability to be adaptable when the situation requires it.

In fairness, Simon Sadler had the best intentions when making the appointment. Some of the logic behind the board’s decision, i.e. Appleton’s track record of developing young talent before selling on for a big profit, can not be disputed. It’s understood he interviewed very well too, certainly better than Rosenior during his second round of talks.

There were also some early signs of positivity, namely the derby win against Preston and the wins against QPR, Watford and Coventry, but since the aforementioned victory against Coventry it’s all been down hill.

Appleton certainly hasn’t helped himself along the way, it has to be said. Whether it’s dropping Dan Grimshaw, one of the club’s most saleable assets completely out of the blue or refusing the applaud the fans after a five-hour trek down to Cardiff and the Boxing Day trip to Hull, the relationship with the fans - as torn as it was from the start - was never going to be recovered.

Then again, that much was clear after the Wigan game. It’s easy to write this now with the benefit of hindsight but perhaps the club should have acted after that defeat at the DW Stadium.

At that point it was November, with the month-long World Cup break about to get underway when the likes of Rob Edwards and Critchley, among others, were available.

That would have given the new man ample time to work with his new players while also having an influence on the club’s January recruitment.

But instead Appleton was given the opportunity to take the squad to Spain and since the return very little has improved. Yes, his side have looked slightly more difficult to beat but they’ve also failed to pick up that elusive win.

What I would say is that Appleton was always refreshingly open and honest with us guys in the media. I never had a problem with him on a personal level and I quite enjoyed it in recent weeks when he made one or two not-so-subtle digs at my line on questioning.

Given the thousands upon thousands of words I write about managers, many of them often critical, but always constructive, I’m always prepared and willing to take a bit of flack in return, as long as it’s done in the right manner.

The timing of the sacking is also coincidental given the touching clip of Mark Hudson that did the rounds on Twitter in recent days following his departure from Cardiff. Football is a brutal business and we should all be reminded, myself included, what sort of impact it can have on managers and their family lives.

It was only a week ago Appleton had to take a couple of days off due to a family matter with one of his children reportedly admitted to hospital. After missing a couple of days of training, he ensured he was in the dugout for the FA Cup win against Nottingham Forest. That must have been difficult for him and I hope things are much improved on that front now. I certainly send my best wishes to him and his family.

I also never subscribed to this view that Appleton was arrogant, although it is a label that has been attached to him by both Lincoln and Blackpool supporters.

He’s certainly not the type to scream and shout on the sidelines but that’s just not his personality. I don’t think that has any relevance on how his side performs, but it was a regular stick the fans would use to beat him with.

But as usual, it’s results that will be the ultimate deciding factor. On that side, Appleton can’t really be surprised or have any complaints.

Every appointment is a big one, but this next one for Blackpool is especially significant given their perilous league position.

Of Sadler’s three managerial appointments to date, it’s fair to say two haven’t worked out in Simon Grayson and Appleton (although again, both were done with the right intention and there was logic behind both).

If it becomes three out of four the Seasiders could well find themselves back in League One. That’s simply something that can not be allowed to happen, so the next few days could well prove to be decisive.