Leading the way

STEVE EVANS . . . guided Rotherham to the Championship via the play-offs

STUART McCall and Steve Evans lead the field to become Athletic's new manager.

McCall and Evans, the former Rotherham and Leeds boss, are now the front-runners in the race to replace John Sheridan, the Chronicle understands.

A deal for one of that pair could, in theory, be concluded today.

But it is more likely that a new man will be installed as the new boss later in the week.

Up to five other prospective managers are still in the frame ­- Frank Bunn and Neil Redfearn are among those who have been interviewed ­- and Athletic want to make an appointment quickly in order to start picking up players to boost what is at the moment a threadbare squad.

McCall emerged as a leading contender over the weekend and, being keen to return to club management after a year out following his Rangers exit, appears a strong candidate.

As for Evans, his salary in his last job at Elland Road could mean he is beyond Athletic, depending on his expectations.

The 54-year-old became the sixth manager to be sacked by Leeds boss Massimo Cellino inside two years last month, with the Championship club at one stage believed to be interested in handing Sheridan the role as his successor.

Evans enjoyed success at Rotherham, guiding the club to promotion to the Championship after beating Leyton Orient 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw in the 2014 League One play-off final.

He kept the club up the following season before leaving the Millers in September of last year, replaced by Redfearn.

Athletic are eager to provide for supporters an eye-catching appointment to maintain at least some of the momentum gained by Sheridan at the end of the season before his surprise exit to Notts County, which came soon after his decision to release several players.

Whatever the identity of the new manager, they will have virtually a clean slate on which to build a squad, ahead of what is likely to be a hectic summer of activity.

Athletic have only seven players ­- Connor Brown, Jake Cassidy, Rhys Murphy, Liam Kelly, Carl Winchester, George Edmundson and Danny Byrnes ­- who have so far been signed up for next term.

Of those players, Brown could be headed elsewhere for first-team football, Cassidy and Murphy have not featured much in the first team and Kelly has been linked with a possible swoop by Leyton Orient.