League One Blackpool made the decision to part company with former Premier League boss Steve Bruce following a dismal start to the 2025/26 campaign.
The Seasiders sit in the relegation zone with only the struggling Peterborough United below them in the table. The former Newcastle United boss’ final game was a defeat to Bolton Wanderers, his seventh of the season so far.
Now attention turns to who will be the man to replace him in the dugout with a tricky fixture against Stockport County just round the corner.
Five potential manager options for Blackpool
Ian Evatt
The seemingly obvious choice, and the name that appears to be gaining some traction. Evatt is a former Blackpool player, having appeared over 250 times for the club between 2006 and 2013. However, since his retirement he has gone on to more than prove his skills as a manager. His first full time post was at Barrow, (after a caretaker stint at Chesterfield). He guided them back to the Football League for the first time in 48 years after winning the National League. His second season with the club was impacted heavily by the pandemic.
Evatt then went on to take over at Bolton Wanderers, he earned promotion from League Two and a Football League Trophy during his time at the club. However, in his final full season at the club they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship, a situation which had the Bolton boss considering his own position. His side never really recovered and he was sacked in January 2025.
Ian Evatt has been named as their pick by the award nominated League One Lowdown podcast.
Luke Williams
Luke Williams at one stage was one of the most in-demand managers in the EFL. His early managerial stint at Swindon Town did not end well, with a departure by mutual consent following the club’s relegation to League Two. However, this was during a period Tim Sherwood was appointed as Director of Football and also began helping to coach the side. After his departure from the County Ground he went on to prove himself alongside Russell Martin, most notably at MK Dons as a coach building a possession based style of football.
Williams then took over at Notts County in the National League. They battled against the might of Wrexham, scoring a remarkable 107 points, which wasn’t enough to win the title. However, they earned promotion via the play-offs and returned to League Two. He remained with the club until January, but left with the club 5th in the league to take over at Swansea City.
He was able to stave off relegation in his first season, but after seven defeats in nine games in his second season he was sacked.
Stephen Bradley
One of Ireland’s top managerial prospects. Stephen Bradley has been constantly linked to jobs in League One over the years for his superb work with Shamrock Rovers. He was close to joining Lincoln City prior to the appointment of Mark Kennedy, but opted to stay in the League of Ireland.
He has won the title four times during his spell at the club, won the FAI cup in 2019, the President of Ireland’s Cup twice and been the PFAI Manager of the Year on four occasions. Boasting a 54.37% win ratio and European pedigree he will be a tough name to convince to join.
There is an ongoing debate about where Irish football sits compared to the EFL, with LOI fans often claiming it is higher than their English counterparts. That being said, there has been a notable amount of movement between League One and Two clubs and the League of Ireland over the years which may indicate its placement. However, the opportunity to manager in European competition is a unique selling point.
Bradley has achieved almost everything he can with Shamrock Rovers, his side sit top of the league on 63 points, and the season ends in a month’s time. Would Blackpool be willing to wait?
Andy Woodman
A colourful personality and superb manager, Andy Woodman is currently manager of League Two Bromley. He has a hugely impressive coaching CV including the likes of Newcastle United, West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Arsenal amongst others. But his most notable role has come with his current club.
He earned the club promotion via the National League Play-Offs in 2024, to achieve promotion to League Two for the first time in the club’s history. Since then he has gone on to establish his side as a solid fourth tier outfit, continually punching above their weight against sides with a much bigger budget. He also notably won the FA Trophy in 2022 defeating Wrexham in the final.
He plays a similar style of football to Bruce, but meaning it is unlikely to take long for him to integrate the players into the patterns of play. However, his player-centric approach may bolster the confidence of some of the stars who have been struggling this season.
Ian Holloway
They say never go back to an ex. Ian Holloway is a former Blackpool manager, having taken charge of over 160 games. He lead the club to the Premier League and although they suffered relegation, the same year he gained praise for how his side performed. Fans are likely to have some mixed feelings regarding his time at the club.
He returned to management after an absence at League Two Swindon Town and has galvanised the club and turned them into title contenders. They have been battling with off-field issues at the club which the team’s performances have quietened. They sit second in the League Two table after 11 games.
Holloway will likely see a promotion on his CV a possibility. So persuading him may be difficult.
