50 apply for Blues top job
John Sheridan and Andy Ritchie are two of the top tips for the vacant manager's post at Chesterfield FC.
A short-list of potential new team chiefs has been drawn up this week after around 50 applications were received by the club following the departure of Lee Richardson.
Interviews are being held next week and Sheridan and Richie seem to fit the bill.
Both have managed clubs at a higher level and both are young and ambitious.
Sheridan (44), the former Republic of Ireland international, was in the hot-seat at Oldham Athletic until March after a promising start to the season went pear-shaped.
The former midfielder made his name as a player with Leeds United and then joined Sheffield Wednesday where he hit the winning goal for the Owls in the League Cup final, a 1-0 triumph over Manchester United.
Former Wednesday chairman Dave Allen – who wants to become the major shareholder in Chesterfield FC and invest 4m in the new ground – became acquainted with Sheridan at Hillsborough.
And the connection between former Wednesday midfielder and club supremo could be a big factor in Sheridan being installed by bookmakers as favourite for the Spireites job.
Further spells with Bolton, Doncaster and Oldham followed before Sheridan had two spells as caretaker boss at Boundary Park before being elevated to the post in 2006.
In his first season he took the Latics to the play-off semi-finals and the following season they finished eighth.
Early on last season Oldham were going great guns but form deserted them. There were reports of players brawling – including Lee Hughes putting Sheridan in a headlock – on a night out at Belle Vue greyhound track in Manchester, an incident which led to one player being fined and two others warned about their future conduct.
Although Sheridan said the dog track incident had no bearing on his tenure, shortly afterwards he was sacked.
One stumbling block to the appointment of Sheridan could be backroom staff.
Blues chairman Barrie Hubbard has said that Jamie Hewitt, Dave Thompson and Shane Nicholson will remain in post, while Sheridan is said to favour bringing in his own men.
Ritchie (48) is considered a front runner after experience managing Oldham, Barnsley and Huddersfield Town.
It is also thought he could play a key role in getting the career of Rob Page back on track.
Richardson wanted Page to bolster a leaky defence two seasons ago when the former Wales international was with Championship club Coventry.
But the Sheffield-based central defender was instead lured to League One outfit Huddersfield by then-manager Ritchie.
And Page was a big hit with the Terriers where he transformed the West Yorkshire team's back line.
Richardson finally got his man when Page moved to Saltergate on big wages last summer with the reputation of a defensive colossus but he found the step-down to League Two difficult.
He was made captain but started only 16 games and has not made an appearance since December.
The Blues board may be interested to hear if Ritchie, who began his playing career with Manchester United before moves to Leeds and Oldham, could help resurrect Page's career.
Ritchie managed Oldham and led Barnsley to the Championship three years ago following a play-off final victory over Swansea in Cardiff.
He was appointed Huddersfield boss in 2007 but left a year later and spent last season working for Radio Leeds commentating on Leeds United games.
Like Richardson, Ritchie has also been linked with the vacant post at Port Vale.
It is hoped to make an appointment early next month
Former Saltergate Kop heroes David Reeves and Steve Blatherwick declared their interest last week.
Others linked with the job include former Burnley manager Steve Cotterill and Jim Gannon who has been made redundant by Stockport County.
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Weather for Chesterfield
Thursday 24 May 2012
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