CHAIRMAN Mark Hodkinson says he expects to appoint a new Bradford Town manager within the next 10 days after the shock departure of Danny Greaves.

Greaves departed Trowbridge Road late last week as it was confirmed he would take the reins at Southern League Premier Division outfit Frome Town.

Frome have been manager-less since the beginning of April, after boss Josh Jeffries stepped down.

Bradford supremo Hodkinson admitted the news was unexpected, but thanked Greaves for his hard work over his time at the Toolstation League Premier Division club and says they were lucky to have him at Trowbridge Road.

“I always knew that Danny would go because he is such a good manager and coach,” said Hodkinson, who has been impressed with the calibre of applicants for the vacant Bradford job.

“He is top drawer and we were very lucky to come across him when we did a few seasons ago.

“We always thought at some stage he would move on. He got this opportunity and he thought it was too good to pass up.

“You can never criticise anyone who wants to take a step forward. He will sorely missed and Frome have a very good person in charge.

“They are big shoes to fill but the club goes on and it’s up to me and a few others to keep the club going in the same direction.

“We are interviewing people at the moment. We want someone who keep Danny’s way of playing.

“Applications are coming in all the time and we have spoken to a few people already.

“It’s not just their football credentials that we are looking at. They have to be the right person to fit with the club.

“The job is an interesting proposition for someone. Ideally I want someone in place within the next week to 10 days.

“We are due back on Saturday, June 23, so we need someone back before that so I can have a good few weeks with him.”

Greaves registered back-to-back record points tallies in his two years with the Toolstation League Premier Division outfit, who finished fourth in the 2017-18 campaign, and told the Wiltshire Times it was hard to leave the club.

“It was a tough decision to leave Bradford because I have had two really good years there,” he said.

“I’ve met a lot of good people and felt we weren’t too far away from promotion.

“It’s one of those things. It (Frome) is a good fit at the right time for me. I’ve had a brilliant couple of years (at Bradford).

“Any manager going into a club, their aim is to leave them in a better place then when they found them. I’d like to think that I have done that.”