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Blackpool Gazette
Ollie to shed 'small club' tag
New Blackpool boss Ian Holloway
21 May 2009 By Steve Canavan
IAN Holloway will vow to shed the Seasiders' 'little club' image when he is confirmed as Pool boss this afternoon.
The 46-year-old will return to management almost 12 months to the day after his departure from relegated Leicester City and will become Pool's 21st post-war manager.
Steve Thompson, who was also on the shortlist for the post, is set to be Holloway's no.2.
Of the six interviewed candidates – the others were Cambridge's Gary Brabin, Andy Ritchie, an unidentified late applicant and Bury's Alan Knill, who would have been chairman Karl Oyston's second choice – Holloway has by far the greatest experience of football at Championship level.
Holloway will certainly enliven Bloomfield Road – he's almost as famous for his one-liners as his managerial skills.
Holloway will take over his fifth League club in a 13-year-managerial career.
Ten of those years have been spent at Championship level and have included two relegations (there was also a promotion from the third tier).
His 18 seasons as a professional player on the right of midfield began in 1981 and included three stints with hometown club Bristol Rovers.
He clocked up around 650 career games, taking in spells at Wimbledon, Brentford, Torquay (loan) and Queens Park Rangers, with whom he spent five seasons in the top flight (1991-96).
He then cut his managerial teeth over five seasons back at Bristol Rovers, the first three of them as player-boss, during which time he stretched his appearance total for the club beyond 400.
Those five seasons, all spent in the second tier, were highlighted by a play-off appearance in 1997-98, when the Pirates finished fifth but lost to Northampton in the semi-finals.
After steering Rovers to seventh in 1999-2000, Holloway moved on to another of his former clubs, QPR, in February 2001 but could not save them from relegation to the third tier. It took them three seasons to bounce back, finishing runners-up to Plymouth in 2003/4.
During his second Championship season at Loftus Road Holloway was suspended over his persistent links with Leicester City. He left in the summer of 2006, not for the Walkers Stadium but for Championship rivals Plymouth.
In his only full season in charge at Home Park (2006-7), Argyle achieved their best finish for 20 years (11th) and reached the FA Cup quarter-finals, losing to Premiership club Watford.
Holloway's long-rumoured move to Leicester finally came to fruition in November 2007 but proved the unhappiest spell of his managerial career.
Winning just nine of his 32 games in charge, Holloway's Foxes were relegated to the third tier for the first time ever, resulting in the manager's departure by mutual consent almost exactly 12 months ago.
During his year out the ever-quotable Holloway has been in constant demand for media work.
He also finds time to campaign on deaf issues – three of his four children were born deaf.
For full coverage of the press conference, visit www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk later today and pick up a copy of Friday's Gazette.
Ollie to shed 'small club' tag
New Blackpool boss Ian Holloway
21 May 2009 By Steve Canavan
IAN Holloway will vow to shed the Seasiders' 'little club' image when he is confirmed as Pool boss this afternoon.
The 46-year-old will return to management almost 12 months to the day after his departure from relegated Leicester City and will become Pool's 21st post-war manager.
Steve Thompson, who was also on the shortlist for the post, is set to be Holloway's no.2.
Of the six interviewed candidates – the others were Cambridge's Gary Brabin, Andy Ritchie, an unidentified late applicant and Bury's Alan Knill, who would have been chairman Karl Oyston's second choice – Holloway has by far the greatest experience of football at Championship level.
Holloway will certainly enliven Bloomfield Road – he's almost as famous for his one-liners as his managerial skills.
Holloway will take over his fifth League club in a 13-year-managerial career.
Ten of those years have been spent at Championship level and have included two relegations (there was also a promotion from the third tier).
His 18 seasons as a professional player on the right of midfield began in 1981 and included three stints with hometown club Bristol Rovers.
He clocked up around 650 career games, taking in spells at Wimbledon, Brentford, Torquay (loan) and Queens Park Rangers, with whom he spent five seasons in the top flight (1991-96).
He then cut his managerial teeth over five seasons back at Bristol Rovers, the first three of them as player-boss, during which time he stretched his appearance total for the club beyond 400.
Those five seasons, all spent in the second tier, were highlighted by a play-off appearance in 1997-98, when the Pirates finished fifth but lost to Northampton in the semi-finals.
After steering Rovers to seventh in 1999-2000, Holloway moved on to another of his former clubs, QPR, in February 2001 but could not save them from relegation to the third tier. It took them three seasons to bounce back, finishing runners-up to Plymouth in 2003/4.
During his second Championship season at Loftus Road Holloway was suspended over his persistent links with Leicester City. He left in the summer of 2006, not for the Walkers Stadium but for Championship rivals Plymouth.
In his only full season in charge at Home Park (2006-7), Argyle achieved their best finish for 20 years (11th) and reached the FA Cup quarter-finals, losing to Premiership club Watford.
Holloway's long-rumoured move to Leicester finally came to fruition in November 2007 but proved the unhappiest spell of his managerial career.
Winning just nine of his 32 games in charge, Holloway's Foxes were relegated to the third tier for the first time ever, resulting in the manager's departure by mutual consent almost exactly 12 months ago.
During his year out the ever-quotable Holloway has been in constant demand for media work.
He also finds time to campaign on deaf issues – three of his four children were born deaf.
For full coverage of the press conference, visit www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk later today and pick up a copy of Friday's Gazette.
Always QPR!
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