Think you may have missed a trick here. Blackwell came to manage us when we were in a similar position to yourselves following the disaster that was Bryan Robson. Within a few games we went from border-line relegation to playoffs (we missed out on the last day). The following season we got beat at Wembley in the play-off final.
Don't think he'd have been a long term option, but would have been a good short term fire fighting choice.
Its true that Blackwell has experience of working with nowt - that's about all he ever got from our board. But one key factor may have be the squad he inherited at Bramall Lane was apparently stronger than your current set up, with people like James Beattie, Matt Kilgallon (when he was flying), Gary Speed, Paddy Kenny etc
For what its worth, the feeling on ours is that its would have been bad news (and we really dont need any more bad news at ours!) for us if Blackwell had gone to you.
Oh - and he's not a Northerner. He's from Luton - and to us always sounded like a "facking Cock-er-knee" -
A club statement with regards to the managerial situation would be nice aswell. Obviously Blackwell wasn't lined up because it would have been done ages ago, just give it Thorn to the end of the season.