Southern warned against taking Blackpool's 'poisoned chalice'

Christine Seddon, deputy chairman of the Blackpool Supporters’ Trust, was responding to the revelation that Southern was one of the people being interviewed for the Bloomfield Road vacancy following the departure of Neil McDonald in the wake of the Seasiders’ sad relegation to League Two.

Seddon stated: “Keith is a legend and we all love him and he was part of that amazing squad that got us into the Premier League and what we don’t want now is for the fans to be turning on him.

“But it would be a poisoned chalice for him.

“Under the Oyston regime, it would be a hard job for an experienced manager, let alone for someone like Keith who would just be cutting his teeth in management.

“That is the terrible position that we are in.

“It is all about owners who are putting the club first and that is something that has not happened under the Oystons.

“The relationship between the the Oystons and the supporters has irretrievably broken.”

Seddon added that the fans would back someone like Southern for the Blackpool job given different circumstances at the club and under new ownership.

Steve Rowland, chairman of the Blackpool Supporters’ Trust, said: “I can only speak for myself and I would love to see Keith back because he is a great motivator and he has a love of Blackpool, which is so important – but I would not like to see him back at the present time.”

Sky Bet bookmakers quote Southern as 7-4 for the Blackpool job behind favourite Dave Jones (13-8).

Also available to take charge now is Owen Coyle, who has been linked with the Blackpool job in the past.

The former Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and Burnley boss is looking for work after leaving MLS club Houston Dynamo by mutual consent.

Coyle had been in charge of Houston since December 2014, missing out on the play-offs in his first season and leaving now with his side at the foot of the Western Conference.