Town duo want new manager appointed swiftly

Town saw their play-off chances take a further hit on Saturday as they were beaten 3-2 by Mansfield, leaving them 11 points off the top five.

Neilson took the game alongside Stuart Cash and Carl Emberson as he had done at Macclesfield in midweek, but called for fresh blood to reinvigorate Hatters’ chances with just 16 games left.

He said: “We haven’t been told anything yet, but I think we probably need a new man in now, a new face who is going to really gee the lads up.

“We’ve done everything we can. Myself, Stuart Cash, Embo (Carl Emberson) Dimi (Kharine) as well. We need somebody in now who’s going to say this is the boss, and hopefully when a new boss comes in the players lift their game and they need to do that.

“I thought we had lifted them enough to get the the points but we haven’t. Mistakes cost us so a new face is needed as soon as possible.”

That view was echoed by goalscorer Rendell, who said of the impending appointment: “The sooner the better really. It’s not up to us, it’s up to Gary Sweet and the rest of the board to make the right decision they feel and go from there.

“We can’t do anything about it, we’ve got no influence on who comes in and who goes. We just have to worry about our jobs and when the new man comes in, look forward to working with him.”

Bookies favourite for the remains former Wycombe boss Gary Waddock, who Rendell played under while at the Chairboys and asked whether he felt the ex-Town player would be a good choice, he added: “I’ve worked with him and got on with him very well.

“Whether it’s Gary or whether it’s another manager, it doesn’t really matter for us.

“We’ll just respect who comes in, listen to what they’ve got to say and move on.”

It appears Town are closing in on their target as director David Wilkinson wrotes in his programme notes: “We may well have appointed our new manager by the time you read this.

“We all hope that he meets with your approval and support and we are able to welcome him as only we can.”

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