KENDAL Town caretaker boss Dave Foster says he would like to take on the role permanently if he is given the opportunity by the club’s management committee.

A shortlist of candidates is being drawn up and club officials will conduct face-to-face interviews this week and possibly early next week as Town look for their new permanent manager.

It is hoped that the club will have a new man in position in time for a fans forum which the club has organised at the Ivy Leaf Club on Kent Street on Thursday, December 13.

A club statement said: “As well as possessing the relevant ability and experience, the committee are looking for the new manager to work within the available budget, be focused on team discipline, operate a stable squad and to achieve more consistent winning results.

“We can say the significant financial savings made through the departing management team, moving training back from Leyland, reducing squad traveling costs and encouraging local talent will be put back into funding the playing teams.

“We hope our fans will get behind us, see the changes we have made and come back to watch the home games. It will not be easy. We play at a high level. But together with the right support we can all move forward.”

In the meantime, club legend Foster has had a busy week as more player movement has taken place ahead of the crunch clash with bottom club Eastwood Town on Saturday.

Those to depart include on-loan striker Josh Amis, who scored in Lee Ashcroft’s first game in charge of Northwich Victoria as they beat Mickleover Sports 4-1.

Full back Naim El-Harrati and midfielder Adam Birchall have also departed, while the status of captain Marc Joseph and midfielder Alex Randell are currently unknown.

Centre back Conor Qualter’s loan has also finished, and he has returned to parent club Halifax.

But coming into Kendal Town, right back and right midfielder Jordan Armstrong has joined from First Division North side New Mills.

Nathan McNeill has also joined from Westmorland Division one outfit Burneside while several reserve players have been registered for first-team action, including Ryan Close, Jake and Tom Routledge, Cameron Kahn, Danny McGahon, Curtis Woods, and Liam Shields.

Marley Gough has also been snapped up having spent the last few weeks training with the reserves - a player Foster knows well after he helped orchestrate a victory for Lancaster Reserves over his Kendal Town Reserve side.

The footballers who played under the Ashcroft regime that are confirmed as staying include Craig Dootson, Paul Alexander, who begins a suspension this weekend, striker Sefton Gonzales, midfielder Jack Cook and defender Jordan Tucker, who is expected to feature on Saturday after a long injury layoff since September.

With all the player movement, Foster is taking Saturday’s game as an opportunity to assess his new-look side and find out which areas need improvement.

“It’s effectively a six-pointer against Eastwood on Saturday,” Foster said.

“But being realistic Saturday will give us a real idea as to those players who have come in who are up to it and those who aren’t.

“It’ll show us which areas we need to strengthen and strengthen quickly and it’s a good yardstick to find out how the next few weeks will go.

“We have games in hand but we need to get points on the board.”

After the crucial tie against Eastwood, the Black and Whites face a trip to Gigg Lane to take on FC United of Manchester on Tuesday night.