Reading boss Paul Ince was full of praise for his former club Blackpool and their new manager Mick McCarthy.

The Tangerines are currently second from bottom in the Championship, three points off of safety, with 18 matches remaining.

Recently dismissing Michael Appleton, veteran boss McCarthy took over last month.

The 63-year-old has managed over 1,000 matches, leading Wolves and Sunderland into the Premier League as well as leading his country- Republic of Ireland- into the World Cup.

Reading Chronicle:

Speaking to Premier League Odds on the Bloomfield Road outfit, the former England captain said: "I've got a lot of time for Mick. He's a wonderful, wonderful man. I've got a lot of affinities with Blackpool and the fans because I was manager there and my son Tom played there so the last thing I want is for Blackpool to struggle.

"In the position they're in, Mick is the right man because he won't take any nonsense and he'll get the team hard to beat.

"It's great to see Mick back in management. I've loved listening to him on the TV and radio but he belongs in management. Blackpool are a great club with wonderful fans and hopefully he does well there.

"As long as Blackpool finish below us [Reading] that's okay - just hope they don't go down."

In charge of Blackpool from 2013 until 2014, he helped them to a club-record start to a league season in 2013/14, but things went sour, becoming their fourth-shortest-serving manager in their history.