Tomorrow at Wembley he will stand 90 minutes away from taking Blackpool into the top flight for the first time since 1971.

Victory against Cardiff in the Coca-Cola Championship final would give Blackpool an estimated £90million and complete the fairytale for the Lancashire outfit and their charismatic manager.

Holloway, 47, told Press Association Sport: "I became impatient at Plymouth so I left to join Leicester but I couldn`t change anything that was happening there.

"We got relegated and I got dumped on my backside and had no job for a year.

"It`s times like that when you have to look at your own part in what happened and take responsibility for it.

"But we judge managers too early in this country. If you looked at Sir Alex Ferguson after his first four years at Manchester United, would you have said he was any good?

"Now he`s probably the best manager that has ever been.

"I look at Fergie and Arsene Wenger, and would I like the chance to do their jobs? Of course I would.

"Am I ready? I don`t think so. But I`m learning all the time and I really appreciate the experiences I`ve had in my life so far."

A year out of the game at least gave Holloway plenty of time for introspection but returning to management proved difficult.

"I went for three or four interviews but didn`t get offered anything," said Holloway.

Then Blackpool came calling last summer.

Holloway`s brief from chairman Karl Oyston was a simple one: keep the club in the Championship.

Incredibly, he may take them out of the second tier and into the Barclays Premier League.

No-one could have foreseen the impact Holloway would have in transforming a team rated favourites for relegation to serious promotion candidates.

Holloway poured confidence into his players and instilled an energy and desire not seen at Bloomfield Road since Sir Stanley Matthews and Jimmy Armfield were in their pomp.

Holloway explained: "When I arrived here I tried to share my vision of what I wanted to do with the players.

"It`s expansive, attacking football and ever since we beat Everton in a pre-season game the lads have been absolutely magnificent.

"They have made it an environment of encouragement so we can play freely with no fear.

"But it`s the energy of the whole club. It`s changing and it`s actually starting to believe in itself because I believe in it.

"I believe in the history of the place, I believe in the people here and I always believed there was a fantastic core group of players.

"I wanted to add some extravagance going forward.

"Luckily, the board has allowed me to add some of those players which has made a huge difference and added to the optimism of the group.

"They have gone out there in the Championship and got better all season."

Holloway uses training methods gleaned from Wales rugby union coach Warren Gatland after they struck up a friendship during their time at QPR and Wasps respectively.

His signing of freescoring midfielder Charlie Adam in a £500,000 transfer from Rangers has proved crucial, but loan players like DJ Campbell and David Vaughan have also played pivotal roles.

Blackpool would be the smallest club in the top flight since the formation of the Premier League if they were to beat Cardiff.

This season their average home crowd of 8,611 was the second-lowest in the Championship - only Scunthorpe attracted fewer spectators.

"I`m trying to build something here and I`ve only just started," added Holloway.

"The chairman is buying into what I`m about and is supportive of what I`m trying to do.

"I`m 47, he`s 42 and it`s a fantastic relationship that I hope can go on for some time.

"If we go up and can get people popping down the M55 motorway to Bloomfield Road then everybody in the town will prosper.

"I would love that because people have been so welcoming and so genuine in their love of what we`re trying to do here.

"I would love to try and help their businesses and my lads feel the same.

"It`s not just our lives we`re trying to change - it`s everybody in the town."

ends