CHRIS Wilder – one of the bookmakers’ favourites for the Wanderers job – has ruled himself out of the running, The Bolton News understands.

The Northampton Town boss has told close friends he does not want to be considered as a permanent replacement for Neil Lennon after guiding the Cobblers to an emotional title triumph on Saturday.

Wilder had been the personal choice of Whites' co-owner Ken Anderson but has rejected the chance to move back to the North West, where he was once assistant manager at Bury.

Anderson said last week that he intended to give final interviews to three candidates before making a choice. But it is becoming increasingly clear the other half of the club’s ownership, Dean Holdsworth, has his own thoughts on the next man.

Jimmy Phillips and Peter Reid had been given assurances they would remain in charge until Anderson’s surprise announcement about a shortlist of three.

The interim management team has not won in their five games so far and saw a first point snatched away at the death against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

But both men have impressed the Wanderers hierarchy in the way they have gone about the task of adding some order to a relegated side after a disastrous start at Bristol City.

Phillips could not provide an update on the management situation when asked after Saturday’s defeat.

“I honestly can’t say what is happening at the moment,” said the academy boss. “Only Ken Anderson and Dean Holdsworth can really tell us what their thoughts are, so the question is for them.”

Kevin Nolan sat out Leyton Orient’s 3-2 victory at home to Dagenham and Redbridge in League Two at the weekend, having stepped down as manager at Brisbane Road last week.

The 33-year-old will remain with the O’s in a playing capacity until the end of the season but has been hotly tipped to return to Wanderers in some guise next season.

Odds on Southend United boss Phil Brown making a return to Wanderers remain short but the compensation required to buy him out of his remaining two years at Roots Hall is understood to be around £500,000.

Brown’s side have lost ground in the play-off race and now look almost certain to be playing their football in the same division as Wanderers next season.