Lee Clark: Taking Blackpool job was poor judgement

Clark won just three of his games while in charge of Blackpool

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Clark resigned as Blackpool boss in May 2015 following the club’s relegation to League One - the season which ended in farcical circumstances when their home match against Huddersfield Town was abandoned following fan protests against the Oystons.

The Seasiders finished 21 points adrift of safety.

Clark's Bury side were beaten 2-1 by Blackpool at Bloomfield Road last season

Clark took charge of Blackpool just 10 days after he was sacked by Birmingham City - who at that stage were one place above the Seasiders at the foot of the Championship table.

The 45-year-old replaced Jose Riga but oversaw only three wins during his time at Blackpool.

“Taking the Blackpool job was poor judgement on my part,” he told football website Set Pieces.

“I was still hurting from the Birmingham decision and wanted to prove people wrong when I should have given myself a bit of a break.

Clark has been out of management for nine months

“Blackpool were still in the Championship at the time and I thought it might be a good opportunity.

“But it wasn’t a nice place. The pitch was a potato field, there were demonstrations by the fans.

“I was only there for six months, but it killed a lot of things for me in regards to getting jobs. It’s put a few people off me.

“If I’d kept away from Blackpool and Birmingham, who knows what my next job might have been?”

Clark, who has also managed Huddersfield Town and Kilmarnock, has been out of the game for nine months now having been sacked in October of last year after leaving Bury second from bottom in League One.

“The longer you stay out of football, the harder it becomes,” he added.

“This is the longest spell I’ve had away from it since I left school. I’ve applied for jobs and clubs have approached me, but nothing has materialised yet.

“The adrenaline you get from being a manager is the next best thing to playing.

“Once you hang up your boots you miss that buzz of 3pm on a Saturday. You need to replace it and being a manager is the closest you can get.

“It’s the winning. When you collect those three points it’s a fantastic feeling because of the contribution you’ve made.

“But with the role comes that stress. As a manager you’re in charge of everything, whereas as a player you’re just looking after yourself.

“It’s one of the few jobs when you’re not really in control of your own destiny. Yes, you sign and pick the players, but it’s their performances which determine your future.”