Ipswich Town will bid to avoid the new manager bounce on Saturday after Lee Clark was appointed boss at the Blues’ next opponents Blackpool this morning.

Clark returns to management just 10 days after parting ways with fellow Sky Bet Championship strugglers Birmingham.

The Seasiders, who host Ipswich on Saturday (3pm KO) confirmed that the 42-year-old had been appointed to the post on a one-year rolling contract.

The position had been vacant since Jose Riga was sacked on Monday following a turbulent 15-game spell at the helm.

Chairman Karl Oyston had stressed the need for the club to quickly appoint a successor with Championship experience and Clark certainly fits the bill having managed for two seasons in the division at Blues, with whom he finished 12th and 21st.

However, the midlands outfit moved on from Clark last week following a poor run of results that had seen them win just twice this season, only one more victory than Riga managed in his short stint.

Clark told the club’s official website: “I am absolutely delighted. The main objective is to try and keep the club in the Championship and build from there. It is a big challenge because of our position in the league but it’s a challenge that can be overcome.

“It’s one that if we achieve what we set out to achieve, which is to stay in the league, it will be a tremendous feat by the whole group. I’m very confident with the players I’ve got here, in what we can do going forward, that we can achieve those goals.”

Clark takes over a club bottom of the Championship, seven points adrift of safety already, and with a mere four wins to their credit since last November.