As Jose Riga packs his case, helps himself to the free Blackpool Hotel toiletries and cashes in his Morrison bonus points before heading back to Belgium, there is an empty desk at Bloomfield Road which needs filling. It's been a well worn seat behind that desk over the last 3 years and the next incumbent will hopefully stay a little longer than his predecessor. Whoever comes in they have the toughest job since arguably whenSteve McMahon was at Blackpool nearly 15 years ago. Survival will be considered a major achievement.

All the indications are that it will be Lee Clark who will be enjoying the delights of Squires Gate and a baying Blackpool crowd. Reports today he's agreed a deal and the matter is now with legal teams. Whilst other managers have come in and had a culture shock at the way the club is run and the past problems of it's owners, this should be a breeze for Clark. After all he's been working at St Andrews where stability hasn't been a word they've used Carson Yeung took over the club. At least at the seaside we've not had transfer embargoes, money laundering and a club that no one wants to buy (well, make up your own about the last one). Birmingham City has been a car crash club and maybe even more surprising then that Gary Rowett, having turned down Blackpool, chose to go there to manage.

As for Clark, he only survived last season by the skin of his teeth on goal difference with the Blues and there was talk last season of a move to Bloomfield Road but a compensation payment was reported not to have been agreed. Clark was a player in the North East early in his career before coaching at Newcastle and Norwich. He came to prominence at Huddersfield where he broke all records with a 43 game unbeaten run. Remarkably he was sacked before they were promoted back to the Championship and four months later in June 2012 he went to Birmingham City.

Hard to know how to judge Clark. Fans from both sides have been critical of him but a 48.8% win rate at Huddersfield is quite an achievement whilst his record at Birmingham is less impressive at 28.45%. However, he knows the Championship, will want to prove a point and it will be interesting to see how the 42 year old picks up the poison chalice at Blackpool and where he can take the club.

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