RONNIE Moore has emerged as the hot favourite for the vacant manager's job at League One strugglers Oldham Athletic.
The former Rotherham United chief is out of the game after being axed by the relegation-threatened Yorkshire outfit.
And he was watching from the stands at Huddersfield on Saturday, when the Latics went down 2-1 - their eighth defeat on the trot.
He certainly doesn't take in many Oldham games, and Moore's attendance fuelled speculation that he is top of a wish list that also includes Dave Jones, Nicky Law and Mark Wright.
Brian Horton, the Macclesfield and former Manchester City manager and a regular visitor to Boundary Park, is also rated as an outside contender.
Oldham's millionaire owners have insisted that they won't be rushed into naming their new man following the departure by ``mutual consent'' of Brian Talbot towards the end of last week.
But they have also said that, if the right candidate was immediately available, they would be willing to do business. And and that opportunity could be even later this week.
Caretaker boss Tony Philliskirk said: ``The indications before Saturday were that I would be in charge for just the one game.''
The Latics' No 2 is unlikely to throw his hat into the ring.
He believes coaching is his strong point, and revealed: ``It was always my intention to go back to the youth team at the end of the season.'' Philliskirk is still the club's Youth Development Officer.
Moore certainly knows his way about the lower leagues and has a book full of contacts. He also has the experience of running a tight ship and working on a low budget. Even so, he still guided unfashionable Rotherham to the old Division Two championship.
Whoever does move into the hot-seat will have the huge task of saving Oldham from the drop.
They have taken just eight points from a possible 39, and there are now only a dozen games in the survival race - and it could take five wins or even more to guarantee safety.
The Latics were soon trailing to two Pawel Abbot goals, before Guy Branston grabbed a 75th minute consolation.
Is Moore the right man for the job? Have your say.
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Clearly the club could appoint far worse managers than Ronnie Moore... he worked miracles at Rotherham, taking them from the bottom half of Division 3 to Division 1 in a couple of years, with no money to spend.
Brian Horton is another manager who I think could do a good job at our club... problem is, why would he leave Macclesfield for us at this moment in time??
Ronnie Moore ?????...Could get some idea of a guideline to his ability - look at Rotherhams league position !!!!... won 3 all season... COULD BE GOOD EH ?
I know he is no longer there but Rotherham have BEEN DEAD AND BURIED for almost all of this season the majority of the time he has been in charge.
Is this a good idea ???.. I say the owners should consult with Tony Philliskirk, Shez and Eyrsie before making yet another disasterous move whereby we end up with yet another pointless and wasted season.
Most of us HAVE had enough and I dare say the players have too, whatever happens the other 3 Amigo's (TP. JS. DE)
should be given job security for a good term, none of this I want my own men in place and so on, whoever the owners appoint.
Yes he was sacked at a Rotherham club that have won 3 all season... but they gave him no money to spend whatsoever, to be expected surely??
He kept them up for 3 years after 2 successive promotions, is that doing a bad job really? And can he HONESTLY be worse than what Talbot was?
i think ronnie moore would be an excellant choice . he has a profound knowledge of the lower leagues and above all is passionate & loyal about his teams.
the fans of oldham athletic have always responded to people like this such as andy richie, ian dowie . these are down to earth folk who know their job and get on with it with no fuss.
Ronnie Moore would give our fans at Oldham at least a chance of survival this season and then something to build on next year.