Mick McCarthy has returned to management after being appointed by Blackpool on a deal until the end of the season. The former Republic of Ireland manager was last in work in October 2021 when he was sacked by Cardiff after 10 months. McCarthy will be joined by his long-serving assistant Terry Connor at a club who have dropped into the Championship relegation zone after three months without a league win. “I’m delighted to be here, I’m delighted to be back in the game,” McCarthy said. “I’m thrilled to be back up at a club where I’ve had many battles in the past and hopefully we can achieve some of the similar success of those years.” Blackpool sacked Michael Appleton this week after Saturday’s defeat at Watford, which extended their winless run in the division to 10 matches. The chief executive, Ben Mansford, said: “From the initial contact with Mick, you sensed an excitement to come to Blackpool yet a calmness and confidence about the job ahead.”