Next Shrewsbury Town manager: Alan Archibald emerges as late contender

The shortlist to replace Micky Mellon has been whittled down to four or five candidates, with interviews believed to have taken place yesterday.

Salop chief executive Brian Caldwell has revealed the club are hoping to make an appointment in time for Saturday's visit of Northampton Town.

And Partick Thistle chief Archibald is reported to have been sounded out by Town – who even queried possible compensation figures.

The Shropshire Star understands an official approach was made to speak with Archibald, who is the longest-serving manager in the Scottish Premier League.

However, it is understood that as of last night, Archibald had yet to speak with Shrewsbury.

Caldwell arrived south of the border from St Mirren in February and has a wide range of contacts within the Scottish game. The chief executive had previously worked at Ayr United, where he signed John Hughes – another boss linked with the vacant post.

Archibald, 38, is very highly thought of in Scottish football having won the second tier title with Thistle and guided them to Premier League safety three times.

The boss may be keen to progress his career south of the border and might well see Town as an attractive proposition.

A stumbling block may prove his young family, who are settled in the area.

Meanwhile, Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman is not thought to be one of the managers on Salop's radar.

Speculation in the north-west suggested that Town had approached 54-year-old Coleman, but the Shropshire Star understands that no move has been made.

He led them to a 17th-placed finish during the 2014/15 campaign before guiding Stanley to the play-offs last term.

And a boss known to be admired by the Town hierarchy, Justin Edinburgh, is thought to be on the brink of losing his job at League One rivals Gillingham.

The former Tottenham Hotspur player was interviewed for the Salop role in 2014 but beaten to the post by Mellon.