WANDERERS are ready to shun the ‘old school’ and bring in a ‘modern’ manager before the end of the season.

Co-owner Ken Anderson says the club has whittled a shortlist of three names to be given second interviews this week, and confirmed two of the bookmakers’ front runners, Phil Brown and Kevin Nolan, have not applied for the job.

Brown, currently in charge at Southend, had been the clear favourite since Neil Lennon’s dismissal, while Nolan’s impending departure at Leyton Orient seemingly strengthened his case for a role at his former club.

Whether the two former players are out of the race completely remains to be seen but the criteria laid down by Anderson at his first press conference yesterday widened what had appeared a very narrow field.

“League One's all about energy, unity and the players working for one another,” said the Wanderers chairman. “We've got to take the game to our opposition from day one with a view that we're going to win matches.

“As long as we do that we'll have as good an opportunity as other clubs there.

“I really want a young, new-style manager. It's going to make it much easier if we have people that work together as a team.

“Old-school managers don't always want to work with the directors, chairman and people. The people we've identified and spoken to all fall into that category.”

Jimmy Phillips and Peter Reid have both been considered for the post but have now been warned that their spell in temporary charge could come to an end sooner than expected.

Northampton Town boss Chris Wilder and out-of-work former Bristol City boss Steve Cotterill both tick boxes in the club’s search.

Anderson revealed that by the end of this week the club could know who would be leading them into League One next season.

“I would like to have it done today but that’s not going to be possible,” said Anderson of the impending appointment. “I think it’ll be the end of next week when we should know who the next manager is and I think we’re down to the last three now.

“We have seen all three managers and this week we will be holding second interviews.”

Meanwhile, Mark Taylor, a key man in Sam Allardyce’s back room staff during the Premier League glory era, has returned to the club in an advisory capacity.

Taylor also worked with Allardyce at Blackpool, Newcastle United and Sunderland as head of the sports science department.