Gable Endies will take time over appointment

Club won’t be rushed over naming new manager

Montrose chairman John Crawford insists the club’s directors will not be rushed into appointing a new manager.

The Gable Endies parted company with Paul Hegarty last week with the Angus side languishing second bottom of League 2.

Crawford acknowledged there is now a lot of pressure on teams in the division with no one wanting to be caught up in the nightmare scenario of being involved in a pyramid play-off and the possible loss of SPFL status.

However, the chairman stressed the club board will take their time to select Hegarty’s successor with his former assistant John Holt – who has asked to be considered for the manager’ s post–likely to take temporary charge again when Montrose return to action next Tuesday in the Scottish Cup against Queen’ s Park.

Crawford said: “Paul was always very professional in everything he did and it was a difficult decision for the board.

“It is the first time I have been in that position and hopefully it will be the last.

“There is a lot of pressure in this division now but the board have ambitions for the club and they are not to be sitting where we are.

“We have been surprised by the number and quality of the applicants so far. It is early days and we will sit down as a board and start to sift through them. “We have to make sure we get it right.” Crawford added: “I am open-minded about whether we go for an experienced man or someone who has recently stopped playing but ultimately, it will be up to the board to decide.

“It is still early days and we have definitely not made an approach to anyone yet. We do not have a game on Saturday and then there is the cup tie next Tuesday.

“That has given us a bit of breathing space and John Holt is more than capable of taking the team again next week. John has also thrown his hat in the ring to become manager.

“As I said, we will take our time on making a decision but we do not want it to drag on.”