Former midfielder will face West Brom after securing Championship job

Michael Appleton, the former West Brom midfielder and coach, has taken the managerial reins at Albion’s Championship rivals Blackpool for a second time. Appleton left League One Lincoln City at the end of last season and he has been appointed as the Tangerines’ new boss, after the departure of Neil Critchley.

Former Liverpool coach Critchley has reunited with Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa, replacing the outgoing Michael Beale who has taken the managerial job at another Championship club, Queens Park Rangers. Now Blackpool, who impressed on their return to the Championship last season - having beaten Appleton’s Lincoln in the 2021 play-off final - have turned to a familiar face.

Appleton was at Lincoln for three years, and in that time as mentioned he led the Imps to Wembley. He also offered Albion’s promising youngsters a pathway to first-team football in the EFL; during his tenure at Sincil Bank, he took on Alex Palmer, Callum Morton, Jamie Soule and, last season, Josh Griffiths.

Previously at Portsmouth and Blackburn, both of which proved to be ill fated stays along with his previous Bloomfield Road stint, Appleton found success at Oxford United and then took over at Lincoln in 2019 having been the Baggies’ under 23s manager at the time. Prior to that, he and Steven Reid had returned to Albion to aid caretaker boss Jimmy Shan.

He was tipped to return last summer when the club were seeking a successor to the outgoing Sam Allardyce, but they landed eventually on Valerien Ismael. Now, Appleton will be managing in the same division as Albion.

“I am absolutely delighted to be here. To be able to come back to the club, with where the club is at during this moment in time, after two really successful seasons, I can’t