FORMER Saints player Micky Adams has thrown his hat into the ring for the vacant manager's job at St Mary's.

Adams made over 150 appearances during his spell at the Dell, between 1989 and 1994, and has previous managerial experience in the Championship with Leicester and Coventry.

He guided the Foxes to promotion to the Premiership in 2003 against a backdrop of financial difficulties.

The 46-year-old joined Colchester United as assistant boss last summer, but left the role earlier this month.

Adams said he would be very interested in returning to the club he loves, this time as manager.

"Obviously, it is a job that would interest me," he told the Daily Echo last night. "I am available for work.

"I had a fantastic time there as a player and I would very much like to repeat that as a manager."

Adams said he would decide in the next few days whether to make a formal application, or wait for an approach from the club.

Both the Saints PLC and football boards met yesterday. The meetings were pre-planned but discussing a successor for George Burley jumped to the top of the list of priorities.

The appointment process is not expected to be a swift one as Saints have had a raft of applications and declarations of interest.

They are sifting through them all to create a shortlist.

From there, a decision will be made as to whether to go straight to one person or, more likely, go through an interview process.

Once that is done, the three- man panel of acting chief executive Lee Hoos, chairman Leon Crouch and football board director Lawrie McMenemy, who will conduct the interviews, will present their recommendation to the boards and the new man will be appointed.

With so many people interested in the job, it won't be an easy decision.

MK Dons manager Paul Ince is the favourite with the bookies after reports he met with club officials yesterday.

The Echo understands those reports are totally untrue.

Seven pages of Saints news, views and FA Cup previews in today's Daily Echo.