Assistant manager Steven Rudd is set to play a key role in Workington Reds’ response to the departure of Danny Grainger.
Rudd will be in charge this weekend when Reds start their pre-season programme with two games on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
Meanwhile the board of directors have started sifting through the half-dozen applications received in response to their advertisement for a successor to Falkirk-bound Grainger.
Rudd has not applied for the job but said: “I’m more than happy to continue in my current role and work with a new experienced man.
“I have told the chairman that if they don’t find the right candidate I would then be prepared to step-up provided that was the right decision for the whole club.
“Like everyone else I was shocked at Danny’s departure. We were discussing trialists and pre-season games in the morning and at teatime he’d received a job offer and had accepted.
“It was all that quick.
“It’s been different sorting things out for training etc but the lads have responded well and pre-season has gone fine.
“We have a game on Friday night at Whitehaven when we will use reserves and West Cumbria based first teamers.
“At Penrith on Saturday it will be mainly our north-Cumbria-based players and new signings who will be involved.”
Workington chairman Dave Bowden said that Rudd was a key member of the Workington management team and would play a prominent role moving forward.
He said: “People seem to think that we get a flood of applicants for a manager’s job but I think the last two times that has happened here the club only had four or five.
“We’ve had half a dozen and went through them last night as a board. We will start arranging talks shortly.
“There are some who clearly have acknowledge of the game at a higher level and others who know it where we are playing now.”
