Phil Brown hails the influence Blackpool had on his career before Hull City, Preston North End and Swindon Town spells

Phil Brown has hailed the influence that his assistant manager spell at Blackpool had on his coaching career. The former Premier League boss had a stint at Bloomfield Road under Sam Allardyce as he looked to carve a pathway for himself in the managerial world.

He first joined the Seasiders as a player in 1994 after spells as a player at Hartlepool United, Halifax Town and Bolton Wanderers. The ex-defender then became Allardyce’s number two a couple of years later.

Speaking on the Fore Four 2 podcast, Brown has said that his time at Blackpool started the desire to become a manager and that he used tactics from his time in the North West with his various clubs since then: “It did, aye. Going back to those Monday morning meetings. Sam (Allardyce) started them off at Blackpool. There was only four of us to start off with.

“Sam had finished his playing career in America (Tampa Bay Rowdies) and went to sample what life was like over there and the first thing he came back with was a coach per player (idea).

“It’s about providing a service for everybody. If you need a goalkeeping coach, why don’t you need a back four coach? Why don’t you need a midfield coach or a striker coach? A set-pieces coach? It extended way back before to what all the experts are talking about.”

He added: “We were at Blackpool, me, Sam, Mark Taylor and Jack Chapman. I was in the first year as a coach, Sam in his first year as a manager. Mark Taylor in his first year as a physio and Jack Chapman had 40 years of experience as backroom staff some way down the line but he was chief scout.

“We had these meetings on a Monday morning where we used to discuss all sorts of stuff. It started us off doing that as part of my DNA now as a manager. I do that all the time.”

After leaving Blackpool in 1997, Brown went on to coach at Bolton and Derby County before landing the Hull City job in 2006. He guided the Tigers to their first ever promotion to the top flight after 104 years of history in 2008 after they beat Bristol City 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley courtesy of Dean Windass’ winner.

He then kept the East Yorkshire in the Premier League in the campaign after. The 64-year-old has since managed Preston North End, Southend United, Swindon Town, Hyderabad and Barrow.