McDonald decides on player futures, but not yet his own

The 50-year-old manager hinted he was ready to resign following Sunday’s relegation to League Two and he met with chairman Karl Oyston on Monday.

However, The Gazette understands that McDonald isn’t yet willing to quit and that Oyston has given him assurances about the future. They have discussed potential changes to the club’s staff and structure.

It remains to be seen whether this is enough to keep McDonald in the job but he is still Blackpool manager today, despite admitting he had very little chance of succeeding in the job.

A planned meeting between the chairman and his father, Owen Oyston, could yet see them take the matter out of McDonald’s hands.

The manager spent yesterday talking to his players and informing those out of contract whether they would be offered new deals at the club.

Emmerson Boyce, David Norris and Martin Paterson’s contracts expire this summer and it is doubtful the club will offer them new ones.

Tom Aldred, David Ferguson, Connor Oliver and Jarrett Rivers are also out of contract but Pool have to decide whether to activate the option to extend their deals by 12 months.

It leaves Blackpool with 16 players under contract for next season – a huge improvement on recent years, when the club has entered the summer with only a handful of professionals signed up.

Loan signings Jacob Blyth, Lloyd Jones, Uche Ikpeazu, Liam Smith and Hayden White have all left the club.