Braveheart vs Lionheart

Guest Article from...

Dean Williamson (SISA Social Media Representative)

Like most Blackpool supporters I have spent the last 48 hours wildly searching the Web for information on what is happening with Paul Ince. It's difficult to siphon through the mass of vitriol fuelled posts on AVFTT and the Twitter '#inceout' tweets scouring for clues without depressing ones self more with a situation that is increasingly difficult to fathom any truth out of. The Football Club is a closed shop for now and the closest we have got to a potential announcement was the spotting of a Sky Television van outside the stadium yesterday. Still nothing.

Resigned to patiently waiting for the yellow ticker tape to arrive on Sky Sports News I decided to look back the last time things got that bad the majority of supporters called for the managers head. Colin Hendry is still the only manager to be sacked by the Chairman what parallels are there between then and now?

Whilst it's difficult to compare win ratios given the standard of opposition. Neither manager has a glowing record. Hendry had a win ratio of 34%, Ince is at 27% now.

Both Mr Hendry and Mr Ince, it could be argued, had a lot to live up to given what their predecessors achieved. The former following a certain Steve McMahon who brought two LDV trophies to the Club then our first major silverware in over a decade. The latter following Ian Holloway and the Premiership promotion, a returned to the 'promised land' for the first time in decades.

Back in 2005 with the club languishing in 21st place and having only recorded 3 wins in the League, Hendry was duly 'removed from his post'. It was reported at the time that the Club had asked Hendry to quit by way of a personal letter a month earlier but he refused to give in. This current season Blackpool languish at 24th in the form table at the time of writing. Like the aforementioned Hendry, Ince has gone on record saying he will not walk away. This time the Chairman has backed the Manager.

No plans to sack Ince

Finally, it's also worth noting that Hendy's last game in charge was against Doncaster, which is also Ince's next game. Could he face the same fate or will we see movement before the next pre-match press conference? This time he might not have a choice whether he attends or not...

(The views represented in this article, do not reflect the views of Seasiders Independent Supporters Association and are the views of the author only)