BURY chairman Stewart Day is ready to draw up a shortlist of potential candidates after receiving more than 70 applications for the vacant manager’s position.

Former boss David Flitcroft was sacked last week after a poor run of results and the Shakers have been inundated with requests from people interested in the post.

However, Day says he will take his time in appointing the right man.

“We have got over 70 applicants and we are going to sit down and whittle it down over the next 24 to 48 hours,” Day told the Bury Times yesterday. “Nothing is going to happen this week.

“We are going to take our time and make sure we target the right people.

“We won’t rush it. There are quite a few clubs out there looking for a manager, some bigger than ours, like Charlton and MK Dons.

“We have not spoken to anybody yet. In an ideal scenario we would get somebody in after the Millwall game (on Saturday) because we then have got two weeks off so they would have plenty of time with the squad, but that might be difficult. But we are not going to rush it so it may take a little longer.”

Caretaker boss Chris Brass took charge before Saturday’s 5-1 defeat at Wimbledon, but led the side to a much-improved performance in a 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United on Tuesday.

He refused to discuss whether he would like the job full time.

“This isn’t about Chris Brass right now, this is about Bury Football Club and making sure they start getting positive results,” he said.

“Wherever we take it, that’s something that we need to sit down and discuss with the chairman.

“The chairman asked me to come in and have a look at it and make sure we keep moving forward.

“That’s what I’m prepared to do.”

The Bury Times understands former Shakers defender Paul Hilton has applied for the job, as has former Sunderland defender Darren Williams.

However, early front-runners Phil Neville and Dougie Freedman have ruled themselves out – as has fans’ favourite Ryan Lowe and former Bury striker Andy Bishop.

Former MK Dons boss Karl Robinson, who was proving a popular candidate with Shakers supporters, was today named as the new manager of League One rivals Charlton.