Blackpool have reappointed Neil Critchley as head coach on a four-year deal following relegation from the Sky Bet Championship.
Critchley left Blackpool 12 months ago to become Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Aston Villa and was then appointed QPR head coach in December.
The 44-year-old was sacked by QPR just two months later after winning only once in 12 games.
“It feels special to be back and I’m thoroughly looking forward to the task that lies ahead,” Critchley told the official Blackpool website.
“Looking back on my departure 12 months ago, I didn’t handle that in the manner I should have done.
“I enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Simon (Sadler, Blackpool owner) previously, and I thank him for this wonderful opportunity to come back to this special football club.
“I look at the club now, and it has had a bump in the road but there is no reason why we can’t get back on track.
“It’s up to us – and I include myself in that – to reset and become who we were as a group again.
“Collectively, the staff, players and supporters have shared some special moments together, and I know we all want to experience that again, which is what we will be working towards.”
Blackpool finished 23rd in the Championship this season with Critchley’s successor Michael Appleton and Mick McCarthy both having brief tenures.
Stephen Dobbie, put in interim charge after McCarthy left Bloomfield Road last month, returns to his previous role within the development squad as senior professional development phase coach.
Sadler said: “After an extensive recruitment process, which included many interviews with various candidates over the past few weeks, I kept coming back to Neil as being the right man to take us forward.
“He gained promotion with us, kept us in the Championship in our first season back in the division and has an impressive record when it comes to developing players.
“He was the clear front-runner for the position and I hope everyone gets behind him and the squad as we push to get back into the Championship.”
Plymouth Argyle 2-2 Watford: Two-goal Gray rescues point for Rooney's side
Andre Gray scored twice against his former club to salvage a point for struggling Plymouth Argyle as they drew 2-2 with Watford on Friday.
Gray curled in an equaliser in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time to seal a crucial point for Wayne Rooney's side in their bid for survival in the Championship.
The visitors made a quick start at Home Park when Ivorian striker Vakoun Bayo bundled in a cross from Yasser Larouci only eight minutes in.
Plymouth did, however, equalise against the run of play in the 23rd minute when Lewis Gibson's long ball into the box was met with a spectacular volley from Gray.
Watford regained the lead before the break when Imran Louza's free-kick was knocked back by Mattie Pollock, with centre-back Ryan Porteous on hand to steer the ball home.
But just as it looked like Watford would go home with all three points, Gray picked up the ball on the edge of the area and fired home a stunning effort beyond Daniel Bachmann.
Tom Cleverley's Watford sit in fifth place and trail leaders Sunderland by five points, while Plymouth are 17th with 17 points from 16 matches.
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Qadsiah: Aubameyang winner ends hosts' unbeaten run
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the winner as Al-Qadsiah inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday to end their 21-match unbeaten run.
Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh league goal of the season put Al-Nassr ahead, but Al-Qadsiah replied swiftly through Julian Quinones before Aubameyang struck the decisive blow.
The hosts drew first blood in the 32nd minute when Ronaldo slotted home after Al-Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels had spilled a routine catch from Talisca's cross.
However, Al-Nassr's joy was short-lived when Quinones brought down Turki Al Ammar's delivery five minutes later, with the Mexcio winger firing past Bento to level the scores.
Quinones also played a part in the winning goal after brilliantly turning the ball back across goal from Nahitan Nandez's search pass to tee up a simple finish for Aubameyang.
The result sees Al-Qadsiah move level on 22 points with third-placed Al-Nassr, with Al-Shabab also level with them.
Stefano Pioli's Al-Nassr are six points adrift of defending champions and leaders Al-Hilal, who also have a game in hand.
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