WITTON have spoken to candidates to replace Tony Sullivan as manager, and are hopeful of making an announcement this week.

Chairman Mark Harris told the Guardian he is intent on having a successor in place soon to give him as much time as possible to assemble a squad for next season, when albion will play in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League’s second tier following their relegation from the top flight.

He said: “We’ve had informal discussions, and we’ll move those on now.

“It’s important we get the right person, one who knows the level we’ll be playing at.

“That’s something we learned when we came down last time; our manager back then, Gary Finley, hadn’t been at step four previously.”

He said the club had received more than 20 applications to fill a vacancy created by Sullivan’s resignation following a defeat at Stamford on the season’s final afternoon that condemned Witton to the drop.

They lost 3-2 after leading 2-0 at the interval.

Harris said: “You can break down the list into three categories; the usual suspects, those looking to make a move into management but who don’t have any experience, and people who have some of the qualities we’re looking for.

“We started to look to the future at ten to five on the final Saturday of the season.

“It’s not the previous manager’s fault we find ourselves in this position – we’re all to blame for what’s happened.

“But there’s no point continuing to beat ourselves up about it.

“The fans are right to be frustrated and angry. I get that, and an outpouring of emotion is what happens when you get relegated.

“However, we have to move on and present a united front.

“Being divided won’t help us.”

Harris said the club’s directors, during a board meeting at Wincham Park last Wednesday, had made promotion back to the Premier Division at the first attempt a priority.

He added: “People around that table have dipped into their own pocket to ensure we make available a budget to the new manager that is capable of getting us up.

“As a board, we’re together on that – it’s our priority.

“We estimate the cost of relegation to be in the region of £40,000 a year. That’s a big hit, which is why I’m grateful to them for promising to back the club in the way they have.”