Jimmy Crease in charge for Cowden

The club's official website site has helped to shed some light on the manager situaton. A new manager is unlikely to be in place for our visit to Cowdenbeath this Saturday: "The search for a new manager is still on going. It is very important that we find the right person for the job and it is now unlikely that a new manager will be in charge for Saturday. Jimmy Crease will continue to act as caretaker manager until we find a suitable replacement for John Coughlin."

It is no secret that the board met on Tuesday night, it is likely that they had someone lined up to take charge this week, but couldn't agree terms. So the search goes on.

Spartans manager Mickey Lawson has more or less ruled himself out in the local Edinburgh press this week - so I'm told.

Lets have a look at all the possible contenders:

MICKEY LAWSON - more or less ruled himself out in the press this week.

HUGH McCANN - ex-Shire manager, currently at Alloa doing a good job with the youths. He may be ready to step back into management.

BRIAN FAIRLEY - currently out of management, and has been for over two years. Seems to have done a reasonable job at Stenny before he fell out with the board in 2001. The current favourite for the job.

NEIL OLIVER - very unlikely that Ollie will consider the job, mainly due to work and family commitments. He is happy enough lending a hand to the youths.

JIM CHAPMAN - more recently at Albion Rovers, where he had them playing good attacking football. Would be a good choice.

CAMPBELL MONEY - a man with more clubs than Tiger Woods, this guy has been all over Scottish football in recent years. Not the answer.

DICK CAMPBELL - left Ross County last month after only 5 months in charge. He was doing well in Dingwall before a major fall out with director of football George Adams. It is unlikely Dick will move back in to part time football.

IAN LITTLE/GARY O'CONNOR - both of these guys are at the stage of their careers where they will be thinking about management. Appointing someone from within the club would probably be a bad idea, we need new enthusiasm and fresh ideas from someone new.

THE OUTSIDE BETS - Eric Tait, Jimmy Crease, Pee, Jose Mourinho.

Who ever we get in, they have a massive pair of shoes to fill. John Coulghlin was one of the greatest managers we will ever see standing in the Berwick dug-out. He obviously thought he was unable to lift the club with the players and resources at his disposal, so what chance has a new guy got?