Sacked AFC Fylde boss Adam Murray is back - only this time to plot Blackpool’s downfall

Adam Murray will be making an unexpected return to the Fylde coast on Tuesday night.

That’s because the recently sacked AFC Fylde manager will be in the Cheltenham dugout for their League One game against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

The 42-year-old was last week appointed as new Robins boss Darrell Clarke’s assistant at Whaddon Road - less than two weeks after his Mill Farm exit.

He was back on the sidelines on Saturday as bottom-of-the table Cheltenham secured their first win of the season against Cambridge United.

Now Murray’s heading back to the north west and familiar territory with the aim of building on the momentum the Robins have discovered under Clarke and bringing to an end Neil Critchley’s side’s four-match unbeaten run.

Speaking to Gloucester Live following his Whaddon Road appointment, the former Oxford and Mansfield player said: ‘It’s great to be here and being back in the EFL was a big thing for me, so I am looking forward to the challenge.

‘I had a long chat with the manager, who is someone I’ve known for a while and have looked from afar at his achievements.

‘When you know what someone is about as a person and how they work, and Darrell is a serial winner, you always want to be involved with people like that. I feel I’ve made a really good decision.

‘Between us, Darrell and I have a lot of experience and tools in the bag, so it’s up to us to use them to get the best out of the squad.

‘Cheltenham have been successful in recent seasons, but it’s now about building confidence, putting building blocks in place and getting up that league table as quickly as possible.

‘Whether you are going for a league title or in a relegation battle, the challenge is there and I can’t wait to get my teeth into things.’

Moving to Mill Farm in November 2022 following a spell in Turkey working for Besiktas, Murray led Fylde to the National League North title during his first season in charge.

However, he was sacked last month, 15 games into the new season, with the Coasters bottom of the National League table, where they remain.

Blackpool go into their game against the Robins seventh in the table and with the chance to finding themselves in the play-off positions if they beat their visitors.