Dickov favourite for Rovers as quartet set for interview stage

Rovers revealed late on Tuesday afternoon that they had short-listed a quartet of prospective managers, with interviews due to be concluded by the middle of next week.

Following the interview process, an announcement will be made ‘as soon as possible’, the club have confirmed.

Hot favourite remains Dickov, 40, a free agent after leaving Oldham in February and well known to Rovers chairman John Ryan.

The quartet of candidates will not include former manager Dean Saunders, who is expected to take time out of the game after his recent sacking after just four months at Wolverhampton.

Meanwhile, Rovers chief executive Gavin Baldwin has confirmed that at least one of the interviews could be delayed until next week due to the club commitments elsewhere, prompting speculation that it could be a manager currently involved in the Football League play-offs or Scottish Premier League.

Both Inverness Caledonian Thistle boss Terry Butcher and his St Johnstone counterpart Steve Lomas finish their seasonal commitments north of the border this weekend, with each linked with the Rovers job following the departure of Saunders at the start of the New Year.

Earlier this week, Northampton chairman David Cardoza revealed the Cobblers expect summer interest in Yorkshire-born boss Aidy Boothroyd, on a rolling deal at Sixfields, while reiterating their desire to keep him.

Yeovil manager Gary Johnson, whose deal expires in the summer, is speaking to the Glovers about a new deal, while Brentford chief Uwe Rosler is contracted at Griffin Park until the summer of 2015.

Highly-rated Sheffield Wednesday teen defender Hayden White, 17 – who only signed his first professional contract with the Owls in April – has joined Championship rivals Bolton Wanderers.

A tribunal will determine what level of compensation Wednesday will receive.