Ian Holloway, in what seems nothing more than a point of principal with little likelihood of him following it through, intends to offer his resignation to Blackpool chief executive Karl Oyston after the club were fined for fielding an under-strength side earlier this season. However, acting chief executive Karl Oyston has already stated he will not let him walk away.
Holloway repeatedly threatened to quit if the club was punished because of his 10 team changes for the 3-2 defeat at Aston Villa in November - and on Thursday the Premier League hit the club with a £25,000 fine.
Holloway has told the Blackpool Gazette: "He (Oyston) will be getting my resignation because that is how strongly I feel. It is up to him whether he chooses to take it.
"I don't know who I am working for. I have done the best job I could for this club and have tried to win every single game, including the game at Aston Villa."
Oyston responded: "I absolutely would not accept his resignation and I would fight to the death to keep him in his post. He has done fantastically well and deserves to manage at this level forever.
"It would be absolutely ridiculous if Ian felt compelled to resign because of what is an unjust decision and he shouldn't compound that by stopping doing what he is doing so well."
Other top-flight managers rallied to Holloway's today, led by Manchester United's, Sir Alex Ferguson.
Both Ferguson and Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger believes this season's new 25-man squad limit negates the need for Rule E.20 in the Premier League regulations, which states that "In every league match each participating club shall field a full-strength team" and which Blackpool were adjudged to have breached with their selection.
"You are allowed to have 25 players," said Ferguson, who is expected to make a significant number of changes to his own starting line-up for tomorrow's FA Cup tie at Southampton.
"They ask you to name them. They don't ask you to name your 11 and 14 substitutes. The rules are there."
The Seasiders only lost the match due to James Collins' last-minute goal, and Wenger stressed: "His (Holloway's) team was not weak because they nearly made a good result at Aston Villa. They lost in the last minute.
"I can understand why he rotated the team, because it was with close games, so I have sympathy."
Wenger believes the 25-man squad system should mean a manager can select whatever side he likes.
"It is a rule which may be looked at, especially if you limit the squad," the Arsenal boss said.
"If you have an unlimited squad the rule is very good.
"If you have a limited squad like it is now when you can only have 25 players, I feel this rule should go.
"Every club now has 25 top-level players who can cope with the Premier League."
