Stoke City next manager news LIVE: Alex Neil ‘done’ as Sunderland release statement

How would you sum up Michael O’Neill’s tenure?

Holden: “Results have clearly not been good enough this season, for example, and that’s obviously the reason that the club has decided to make a change.

“Any manager wants to leave a football club in a better state than they’ve found it in and I’m not having anyone tell me that Michael’s not done that at this football club.

“It’s just a shame that we weren’t able to get the results to see the job through because whichever manager walks through the door is walking into a really healthy squad, of course missing some key players through injury at the moment – although ones that will be back not too far down the line. There’s a good squad of players.

“Behind the scenes, which obviously a lot of people are not really interested in, is the key thing that drives performances on the pitch. The culture that Michael has brought, the winning environment in terms of professionalism off the pitch, is far better than it was when he walked through the door.

“For all those reasons he has left the club in a really good state. It’s obviously disappointing for him and I’ve no doubt that he will walk into another top job. He’s a fantastic person.

“You could see yesterday that there are a lot of people who are disappointed because he’s built close relationships with people but football is a game when things move so quickly and you can’t feel sorry for yourself, you have to move forward quickly.

“This club needs a result, it needs a bit of a lift, it’s had a bit of a beating recently. We’ll have a fantastic support behind us at kick-off at Blackburn and it’s important players go out and show what it means to play for this club. Go out there and give everything they’ve got for the shirt. That’s what supporters want to see.

“They will do that. We’ve come on the wrong end of results and conceded poor goals at bad times this season but it’s a new squad generating a spirit behind the scenes and this might bring everyone together even stronger.”