Shrewsbury Town manager search narrowed to shortlist of 'four or five'

Shrewsbury Town are currently 23rd in League One

Shrewsbury Town have narrowed their search for a new manager down to a shortlist of "four or five" candidates.

Chief executive Brian Caldwell says the League One club hope to name a new boss before Saturday's visit of Northampton.

Shrewsbury have been without a manager since Micky Mellon left to take charge at Tranmere Rovers on 7 October.

"We're keen to appoint as soon as possible. It's been hard work. We could have someone in place by the weekend," Caldwell told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"We're probably at four or five just now. It's been slower than we hoped it to be but we're a lot closer than we were last Thursday.

"We're conscious that potentials we maybe want to talk to are at clubs just now, so you don't want to interfere with their daily routine and affect your relationship with the club too.

"One individual in particular - there were probably 20 calls over the weekend, back and forward between representatives, clubs and the person as well."

Former Inverness manager John Hughes became the bookmakers' new favourite to take the job on Sunday as a report in a Scottish newspaper led to odds on the former Celtic defender succeeding Mellon being slashed.

But BBC Radio Shropshire understands speculation linking Hughes, 52, with the vacancy is unfounded.

Caretaker boss Danny Coyne, who has ruled himself out of the permanent role, will remain in charge when Shrewsbury host Sheffield United on Tuesday.