ADAM WEBB is ready to crank up St Johnstone’s manager search in the next 24 hours.
The McDiarmid Park owner has whittled down the names of potential candidates to replace Craig Levein and will start making approaches in the coming days.
Ayr United boss Scott Brown, Aberdeen coach Peter Leven and Larne gaffer Tiernan Lynch are all firmly in the frame.
Webb, who has had dozens of applicants, also has some foreign-based alternatives on his hitlist.
Saints will now sound out clubs for permission to hold talks before making a firm decision on who to offer the job to.
Webb is undergoing chemotherapy and only has weeks before stepping back to fully focus on his treatment plan, so wants a new gaffer in place sooner rather than later.
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Former Celtic skipper Brown, 39, is flying high with Ayr United, who sit top of the Championship.
Leven, 40, won plenty of plaudits for the way he steered Aberdeen to seventh place last season as caretaker, while Lynch, 44, led Larne to the Europa Conference League.
The Northern Irishman has guided Larne to back-to-back NIFL Premiership titles, the first two in their history.
However, it’s unlikely anyone will be appointed before Saturday’s Premiership clash with Celtic, meaning coaches Andy Kirk and Alex Cleland will continue to take charge of the team.
After we told you Brown was being mentioned in connection with the the McDiarmid Park post, the 39-year-old was quizzed on those links last week.
But he wouldn’t be drawn into much discussion.
He said: “Ayr’s been fantastic. It’s been really good for me.
“I obviously went down to Fleetwood and now I’m learning my trade at Ayr.”
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