St Mirren’s Jack Ross and Shrewsbury’s Paul Hurst remain the leading contenders to take charge at Portman Road with former England skipper Frank Lampard no longer in the running, TWTD understands.

As we revealed at the end of last week, Lampard met with Marcus Evans on Friday for a second time and impressed the Blues owner with what he had to say, however, it emerged that the two parties were some distance apart when prospective personal terms were discussed.

Ross was also interviewed for a second time by Evans last week and continues to be the bookies’ favourite, now at evens with Bet Victor.

We understand that reports claiming Sunderland are showing strong interest in the 41-year-old are speculative as things stand, while St Mirren still hope to keep hold of the man who took them to the Scottish Championship title by 12 points.

The Buddies are believed to have offered Ross, who is currently contracted until the summer of 2020, an improved deal in order to tempt him to stay in Paisley, however, they wouldn’t be able to match the terms on offer at Portman Road.

It’s believed that the former defender, who is now away on holiday, will take the Town job if it is offered to him.

Hurst, 43, has been high up Evans’s list of potential new managers since it was decided former boss Mick McCarthy would be moving on back in late March.

Formal talks with the one-time Ilkeston, Boston and Grimsby manager are expected to follow Sunday’s League One play-off final, in which the Shrews take on Blues right-back Josh Emmanuel’s loan club Rotherham at Wembley, whether the Shropshire club win promotion to the Championship or otherwise. It's understood the Blues have been given a strong indication Hurst would be interested in the position.

Hurst is currently the third-favourite to take over at Town at 8-1 with Lampard ahead of him at 2-1.

Behind those three, Scott Parker and Tim Sherwood, who have both been interviewed, are at 20-1 along with Simon Grayson, while George Burley, Östersunds boss Graham Potter, John McGreal, Mark Warburton, Paul Cook, Shefki Kuqi and Tony Mowbray are all at 25-1.

In April Evans said he expected to name the Blues' new manager in late May or early June and that remains his timescale with an announcement next week appearing increasingly likely.

Photos: Action Images/Allan Picken

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 11:17 - May 22 Highly unlikely Graham Potter would leave Sweden in my opinion: he has been here for several years and is established with his family, or so I have heard. Quite glad Lampard is out of the running. I think he may well make some team a good manager, but I imagine he is looking to spend more money than ME is willing to give him, and then there's the inevitable media circus that would follow. Maybe not for us this time round. So if it's one of Ross or Hurst, I'll be pretty happy. Just hope it IS one of those two and that we don't end up with damaged goods.

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Monkey_Blue added 11:24 - May 22 Whether he is the right man for the job or not Lampard has no record in management and shouldn't be proving himself out of what would be an excellent opportunity. If this is true I'd be disappointed in him given he's always come across as a decent down to earth guy. His call to O'brien On LBC was epic!!
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eMeM added 11:38 - May 22 I'm sad to learn that Lampard is out. With two names left I would prefer Ross. We could expect to get another Waghorn for cutdown prices under his management. Evans told us he doesn't want big changes in the way the club is run. Tactical or motivational genius of 1-0 results might be his preferred choice. Still would like to get someone else than Ross & Hurst. Wenger would be perfect for our club but is too expensive. Why not take a look for new Wenger in Portugal, France, Spain or Germany?

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HarryfromBath added 11:40 - May 22 In hindsight we shouldn't have been surprised that money would be a stumbling block with Lampard, although I thought it would have had more to do with transfer and player wage budgets than his own remuneration package. Although there would have been an inevitable media circus, I don't think that Lampard would have been as poor as Roy Keane, who completely underestimated the challenge of managing Town. I am certain that some Championship club, and probably one in a crisis, will stump up the money for Lampard. The problem he will have is that he won't be given the same amount of time to learn his trade as he would have had at Town. That however is what happens when money enters the equation. Good luck to him wherever he ends up.

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runningout added 11:42 - May 22 find the whole thing concerning as looks like we had no plan for when orWe if our previous coach left. Hurst doesn't fill me with joy one bit
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Fat_Boy_Tim added 11:43 - May 22 It only says 'prospective personal terms ' and that covers an awful lot of ground. It could be straight up wages, release clauses, wanting to start after the world cup due to media commitments, a requirement to live near the club etc etc. I don't think we should all be dumping on the man from a great height for coming to an interview but not wanting the job.
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Len_Brennan added 12:02 - May 22 I think Lampard, and indeed Scott Parker, is likely to be a very decent manger in time. Knows the game, intelligent, thoughtful & has worked with/under very successful managers in his time. But at this moment in time, we need someone with proven experience at managing a club under tight financial constraints outside the highest level, as opposed to someone who has to find his feet in a new role & at a financial level that is somewhat alien to him. Hurst & Ross are very good candidates for what I believe is in the club's best interest at this moment in time. Really hope we get one of them.

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Popeye added 12:10 - May 22 It's like mike Arteta turning down arsenal job because he didn't like management structure. What idiot would give an unproven manager free reign to spend what he likes on who he likes within reason, no one that's who.
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Blue_Meanie added 12:15 - May 22 For all of you who say Lampard is intelligent, talks insightfully about the game and played at the highest level; I give you Gary Neville...... that didn't exactly work out in Valencia did it?
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floridaboy added 12:28 - May 22 Reports this morning state that the new owners of Sundarland are set to reemploy Coleman by the weekend. Ross will be boss here by next week!
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WoodfordTim added 12:37 - May 22 So Frank has had two interviews & could not agree personal terms?!! Obviously he did not want the job very much. Saves us from a media circus as well as League One
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Lightningboy added 12:45 - May 22 Sad that Lampard who apparently was only really interested in his wages was given 2 interviews yet Burley who's only interested in the good of the club didn't get 1.
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SheptonMalletBlue added 12:45 - May 22 Boom Baby!!!!!!
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itfcitk added 13:00 - May 22 People on here moaning about Lampard being greedy. He was offered a salary comparable to assistant managers in the championship. The salary would be comparable to a lower league 1 side. Ipswich have no chance of getting Ross or Hurst with a similar offer.
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timspencero added 13:55 - May 22 HarryFromBath - I agree. think it's a real shame he's out of the running. I think he would have had all the connections at an important level at big clubs to get us in players, he would have drawn players, he would have drawn welcome attention to the club, inspired young fans, and he's a smart guy too. He's a midfielder who scored goals - precisely what Town had the last time we were a successful football club - and he would no doubt have instilled a culture of shooting in our team. I would make this point to fans calling him greedy. Only recently, Town fans have been crying out for Evans head and wanting him to invest more. Now, when an ambitious manager comes along asking for his market rate, we call him greedy. Certainly, he could have learned his trade a great club. But coming into a club with no money to spend on players and no decent salary starts to look like a poisoned chalice. We're getting a lower, "up and coming" boss because we can't afford more and they can't request too much since they don't have the clout. We're therefore, pessimistically, hoping for a miracle. And we've seen they happen, but it's very much more of the same to come in terms of actual ambition. Lampard would've been a signal to new times at PR, and a proper ambition to be a big club again. Hurst or Ross, as interesting as it will be, will be swimming against the tide and don't start from where Lampard starts. And "experience" - i'd take Lampard's experience as a player, every day of the week. Because he's smart.

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leftie1972 added 14:03 - May 22 Just offer Ross the job and be done with it!
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SuffolkPunch70 added 14:06 - May 22 I suspect he wanted compensation for not being able to do his World Cup gig. Personally, I would still like to hear Gary White being given a chance, or at least an interview
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1980sboy added 14:33 - May 22 I second the Gary White shout! He really did come over well in the recent article on him. Surely deserves an interview. This waiting game is hard to bear but really hoping for exciting times ahead whoever gets the hotseat.
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I_AM_GOD added 15:20 - May 22 Maybe I read that differently, but personal terms is not just money........ I do think we could still lose out on both of these two (Ross and Hurst)
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dirtydingusmagee added 15:21 - May 22 like Lampard, and watched his dad play, respect. BUT couldn't see him doing the job at Town.I would be happy to see Ross given a chance,He may not be up to the standard some think is needed, but still better than 0-O McCarthy.
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ScottCandage added 15:33 - May 22 Read: I wouldn't get out of bed in the morning for that kind of money, I'm out.
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TractorClarke added 15:40 - May 22 Burley keeps getting mentioned on here, but I really do not think he is the answer. What he did should stay in the past where we all have fond memories, but the past is the past and you should not go back. At this point all any of us can do is wait and see what happens, I for one don't know a great deal about ross and hurst, I hear their teams play decent football, that's great and I am all for it but I am not going to sit here and make out I know everything about the manager hiring process. I think we all want this to be over and a manager appointed but it seems if Evans made a quick decision and it did not work his head would be even further on the chopping block than it already is, he is taking time and wanting to talk to managers of interest, if hurst wont talk until after playoff, and in my opinion why would he, then that's how it is and it makes sense for all parties in my opinion. I am not an evans fan to be honest but for once I do think he is doing this the right way, we do not know what is going on behind the scenes and wish all these assumptions and so called facts would stop. I think collectively we all want either ross or hurst as they seem like the best fit and would cost too much, and that is still very much on the cards, so lets just let the people who can sort that do it, and not assume we know how all this works, I will be annoyed if this does not happen but that does not seem to be the case now and until it is I will await news in the hope things are being done in the right way.

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cranky_old_tractor added 15:45 - May 22 Like Frank but not for ITFC...good news. Not sure how Ross must be feeling since this is dragging on but make a quick move. Sign him or sign Hurst. Personally prefer Hurst but would be happy with Ross too.
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markytitfc added 15:49 - May 22 Listening to talk sport breakfast this morning , they were pretty sure it was lampards job, likewise on the jim white program at 13.45 they were convinced ir will be lampard. Who knows???
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OwainG1992 added 15:50 - May 22 I just want his over and done with now.
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