Former PNE player Neil McDonald has been named the new Blackpool manager.

McDonald, who played for Preston North End between 1995-98, will hope he has a longer reign than the last former player to manage Blackpool.

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Michael Appleton spent just 65 days in charge of Blackpool before moving on for Blackburn Rovers.

McDonald takes on a huge challenge after Blackpool earned only 26 points from 46 games on their way to relegation to League One last season.

The new Blackpool manager said: ““This is a great opportunity for me, it’s a massive football club in my opinion and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s a challenge that’s going to be difficult – wherever you go it’s always difficult – but it’s a challenge that I’m really up for and really excited about.

“I’ve got to try and stabilise it first of all after what happened last year with relegation and change people’s minds to try and get the confidence back and push the club on to pastures new.”

McDonald played 43 times for Preston North End and was part of the team that won the Third Division (now League Two) championship.

Turning Blackpool around will undoubtedly be a big job and he’ll have to do better than those before him to be a success.