BRADFORD (Park Avenue)’s director of football Martin Knight is hopeful the club will have a new manager in place by the end of this month.

Avenue parted ways with long-serving manager Mark Bower and his assistant Danny Boshell on Monday, with player-coach Luca Havern put in temporary charge.

Giving an interview to BBC Radio Leeds last night, Knight provided a rough time frame for the new appointment.

He said applications for the manager’s role would close next Wednesday before a screening process takes place, devised with the help of an unnamed outside consultant who has experience of playing in non-league.

From there, interviews are due to begin on the week commencing November 20, with a view to appointing someone a few days later.

Knight said Avenue’s preference would be to hire a manager who can take on the role full-time, and one who can balance his duties with the first team alongside playing an active role in the club’s academy.

Knight’s immediate focus for now is giving his backing to Havern and temporary assistant manager Oli Johnson.

The pair take charge for the first time tomorrow, as Avenue host Matlock Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

That is swiftly followed by another league game at Horsfall, on Monday, against Marine.

Both matches are crucial for Avenue, who currently sit just a point above the relegation zone.