Chairman Lee Carter has vowed to get the appointment of AFC Telford United’s new manager right, revealing: “This will be the last big decision we make as a Board.”

Interviews to find a successor to Rob Smith and Larry Chambers are already under way, with directors talking to shortlisted candidates last night.

But they are in no rush to resolve the process, with no appointment expected until the last week of the month.

And Carter expects the man who eventually gets the nod to out-live the Board in its current guise.

“It will be the toughest decision the Board have had to make in the six years that this club has been running,” said Carter.

“I also hope it is the last big decision that we make as a Board.

“You make these appointments with the view that they are going to be for four or five years, and I’d have thought that in four or five years the make-up of the Board of the football club will look a lot different to what it does now.”

Impressive

Discussions are sure to be lengthy, with an extensive list of impressive candidates throwing their hat into the ring.

Carter has been understandably coy in outlining the make-up of the shortlist of “less than 10″ that have been put through to the first interview stage.

But a number of high profile former players and current managers have been linked with the post.

Ex-England internationals Tim Flowers and Andy Sinton are in the frame, along with former Republic of Ireland defender Jeff Kenna.

And a number of managers currently operating in the Blue Square North are also thought to have applied — their number is rumoured to include Stalybridge chief Jim Harvey and Hinckley’s Dean Thomas.

By CHRIS HUDSON