FA VASE-winner Taffy Richardson is among eight candidates vying for the Wimborne Town manager's job, chairman Ken Stewart has confirmed.

Poole Town number-two James Wood and former Dorchester Town bosses Phil Simkin and Ashley Vickers have thrown their hats in the ring, while ex-Verwood manager Carl Poore is understood to have put himself forward for the assistant-manager's role should Simon Browne enter the running.

Stewart revealed the Magpies board were likely to draw up a shortlist of three tomorrow (Friday) with interviews set to take place next week.

Richardson's appearance on the list will be a sight for sore Wimborne eyes having played a crucial part in the club's Wembley triumph back in 1992 – he also managed Salisbury more than a decade ago.

Former Bournemouth Poppies boss Wood has been Tom Killick's right-hand man for the past four seasons, while ex-Blackfield boss Vickers and Simkin have been touted for various positions during their respective stints out of the spotlight.

Poore began his managerial career at Cranborne but quit Verwood at the start of this season due to increased personal commitments. Ex-Hamworthy United boss Browne is working with Dorchester Town reserves at the moment but is thought be keen on a return to the senior game.

Ex-Poole boss Brian O'Donnell, currently technical director at Dorchester, is also rumoured to have applied. Stewart told The Echo's sister paper The (Bournemouth) Daily Echo: "We have received eight applications so far from a host of people, one from as far away as Oxfordshire. We are going through them on Friday and will get into the interviews next week.

"I can't speak for the board until we get together but I imagine us getting it down to three before the interview process. In the past, we have tried a few people without direct managerial experience but this time we have a wide range of candidates."

The flurry of interest comes despite the board announcing it needs to slash Wimborne's playing budget from £1,750 to £1,000 per week but Stewart is not surprised at the calibre of candidates.

"Wimborne is a nice club to manage, we don't go firing people willy nilly so it's a good place to come in and build something," he said. "I think anyone who knows the club would want to manage it."