ST Albans City chairman John Gibson is not expecting to confirm the permanent appointment of a new manager before next week. The lack of candidates with proven credentials means Steve Castle will again be in a caretaker role for the trip to Havant & Water

ST Albans City chairman John Gibson is not expecting to confirm the permanent appointment of a new manager before next week.

The lack of candidates with proven credentials means Steve Castle will again be in a caretaker role for the trip to Havant & Waterlooville.

Castle remains one of the front runners for the post despite his hesitancy to take it due to family commitments. Big names such as George Borg and Graham Westley have expressed an interest. Former Harrow Borough coach Phil Gridelet was at Clarence Park on Saturday and is keen on the role, while ex-City boss Colin Lippiatt recommended some names to the chairman. Gibson admitted this week that his search for the right solution is at an early stage. He said: "The names Colin Lippiatt recommended are either not available at this time or don't want to come down to this level. There is not a single candidate that we are aware of who is tried and tested in this league and who is ideal for us. George Borg has got a track record and there are others in the lower leagues who have done very well but not achieved as much as Dave Anderson had in the past. We haven't got a clue what the answer is at this moment in time.

"I have got a lot more faith in Steve Castle than some of the supporters. It was his first managerial job with St Albans and he still brought in Ben Martin, Scott Cousins, Lee Clarke and Matt Hann. From my point of view he can still spot a footballer. The players prefer to go training when Steve takes it and his training sessions are excellent. Since he left us he has had a lot of experience with Cambridge United but we will be at all the possibilities."

Gibson ended Dave Anderson's brief tenure at the club last week following a run of just one point from three festive fixtures and City are now looking for their third manager since the retirement of Lippiatt in the summer. Gibson, who has played down reports of a return for Lippiatt to the hotseat, said: "Dave was surprised when I told him. He said I would never have a team as long as I kept changing the manager every 15 games but Ritchie Hanlon didn't work out and, for all the track record Dave Anderson had with AFC Wimbledon and Hendon, he didn't work out either. It is unfortunate.

"I have been speaking to Colin Lippiatt about the possibilities and taking a little bit of advice. There is no question about him coming back from his point of view. He would probably be about 90 per cent tempted but unless he was 100 per cent tempted it would be out of the question.

"We have got to get out of trouble fairly quickly. We cannot afford to make another mistake. I am going to be criticised for having made two mistakes this year but there was logic and reasoning behind both decisions.