Blackpool hopeful of appointing Ian Holloway's successor today

Ian Holloway (GETTY IMAGES)

Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston is hopeful of appointing Ian Holloway's successor by the end of today.

Holloway ended a highly successful three-and-a-half-year spell at Bloomfield Road on Saturday, completing a surprise move to take charge of npower Championship counterparts Crystal Palace.

The 49-year-old's departure was confirmed hours before the Seasiders slumped to a 4-1 defeat at Derby, their fifth game without a win.

Despite leading the Championship in the opening weeks of the season, Blackpool now lie 16th in the table, 10 points off the pace.

To avoid a further slump, Oyston is keen to move quickly and pointed to the uncertainty that surrounded Lancashire neighbours Bolton and Blackburn before their protracted managerial searches recently ended.

He told Sky Sports News: "We've spoken to a few people and we hope to make an appointment within the next day or so. I'm hopeful we'll know by the end of today.

"I've seen some of our near neighbours, Championship clubs in and around Lancashire, take some time over it and the instability has not done them any favours. I'd like to move quite quickly."

Caretaker manager and Holloway's former assistant Steve Thompson is one of the names in the frame and, speaking after the weekend reverse at Pride Park, he pleaded with Oyston not to write him off on the back of one game.

Thompson claimed his charges were badly affected by Holloway's departure and said: "It came as a bad blow after a very difficult week and you could see in that performance how much it took out of the side.

"But I would not like to think that any decision on my future will be based solely on what happened in one match.

"I'd like to think that the things the club has achieved in this period will be remembered because I believe I have played an important part.

"It is all up to the chairman but I will get another chance to show my credentials when we play away to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday.

"The team that plays there will be the one I pick and I would expect the hard words and home truths spoken in our dressing room after this performance to have the desired effect."