Cambridge United manager Shaun Derry has emerged as the front runner to take over at Gillingham.
Nolberto Solano, Peter Taylor, Chris Powell, and Neal Ardley have all been linked with the Gillingham job since Ady Pennock left by mutual consent on Monday, but Derry is now favourite with some bookmakers to take over at Priestfield.
Derry is approaching his two-year anniversary in charge of Cambridge United, making him the seventh longest-serving manager in League Two, a division the club have been in since their promotion from the Conference in 2014.
Taylor (8/1), who was sacked by the Gills three years ago, was placed in caretaker charge of the the club after Pennock’s exit, recording a point at home to Scunthorpe United on Tuesday, which puts the club one point adrift of safety in League One.
The veteran gaffer, 64, will remain at the helm for Saturday’s tricky trip to Blackburn Rovers, where they go hunting for their first league away win in 10 matches, a winless streak which dates back to March.
Derry’s link with Gillingham is a surprise one given that the club would have to fork out a compensation fee for his services, with his contract expiring next summer.
The 39-year-old recently dismissed reports putting him in the mix for the Chesterfield job, with the Spireites now expected to appoint former player Jack Lester on Friday.
Derry entered into the managerial arena in 2013 with Notts County, and proceeded to save the club from from the dreaded drop down to League Two, however he was axed the following campaign after a rotten run of three wins in 24 games.
Derry returned to the fold with Cambridge in November 2015, finishing 9th that season, then 11th last term, with the U’s currently 10th after 10 games.
Gillingham have implemented the Rooney Rule as part of their managerial recruitment process.
The club have, or will, interview at least one candidate from a black, Asian or ethnic minority background.
The Rooney Rule was pioneered by former Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, and was introduced into the NFL in 2003 to help increase the number of ethnic minorities in coaching and senior operational positions.
All 72 English Football League clubs signed up to a pilot scheme requiring them to interview at least one qualified black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) candidate for every academy coaching job in 2016, with 10 clubs extending that to the manager’s position.
A third of all players who started on the opening day of the Premier League season were from BAME backgrounds, but there are just three BAME managers – Chris Hughton, Keith Curle and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – across the 92 league clubs.