Former Bristol City midfielder Micky Mellon has suddenly emerged as one of the favourites to take the vacant managerial job at Blackpool.
Mellon, 50, is in a battle with another former Robin Liam Rosenior for the role with the pair leading the betting as the Championship club steps up their search to replace Neil Critchley who joined Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa.
Mellon returned to manage former club Tranmere Rovers last summer following a year on the Dundee United touchline. His side finished ninth in League Two finishing two points adrift of the play-offs.
Rosenior looked almost certain to make his first steps into management when his odds drifted to 1/10 on Friday, and he still remains favourite to job the reigns at 4/6. Mellon is second favourite at 7/4 to reunite with his former club.
Mellon spent three years as a Blackpool player making 125 appearances in total including winning the club's Player of the Year in the 1995-96 season. His career began at Bristol City as a 17-year-old in 1989 with the club achieving promotion to Division Two under Joe Jordan.
He made 35 appearances for City over a four-year period, including a brief loan spell at Cork City, before joining West Brom. He also had playing stints at Tranmere and Burnley before stepping into management with Fleetwood Town in 2008 where he guided them to back-to-back promotions.
Mellon would also get Shrewsbury promoted into League One in 2015 before achieving another back-to-back promotion with Tranmere Rovers during his first stint in charge.
A return to the Championship, where he was assistant to David Flitcroft at Barnsley, will surely be a tempting proposition for Mellon if he is offered the position ahead of Rosenior.
Rosenior, who began his career with the Robins having come through the academy, was appointed specialist first team coach to Phillip Cocu at Derby in July 2019 before being promoted to Wayne Rooney's assistant on the former England captain's appointment in January 2021.
Blackpool are looking to appoint an "up-and-coming" manager, similar to Critchley, and Rosenoir would fit the bill with his reputation increasing during his time at the East Midlands despite their relegation from the Championship last season.
Rosenior hung up his boots in 2018 following a three-year stint at Brighton before moving into a coaching role with the club and later joining Derby as he awaits his first managerial position.
He spent one season at Ashton Gate as a senior first-team player during the 2002-03 campaign in the Second Division making 27 appearances across the campaign before joining Fulham.
Michael Appleton is third favourite at 8/1 while Michael Duff and Shaun Maloney are outsiders at 16/1. Former Bristol City manager Dean Holden is also an outside possibility as he looks to step back as the main man in the dugout. The former defender is currently No2 to Michael O'Neill at Stoke following his spell in charge at Ashton Gate.
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