Barrow AFC are hoping to make a quick appointment in succeeding Ian Evatt as manager, according to chairman Paul Hornby.

The Bluebirds are on the look-out for someone to take them through their first campaign in the English Football League for 48 years after the departure of Evatt to Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday.

Evatt informed Hornby he wanted to take the job with the Trotters last Friday, which gave AFC’s board something of a headstart when it came to searching for his successor.

While he was unable to provide any guarantees that the transition time between managers would be a quick one, Hornby did indicate that the board does have a candidate in mind.

He said: “Obviously, we knew it was happening last week so we had time to steady ourselves.

“Once you get over that initial ‘oh, he’s going,’ you can be quite calm about it.

“We seem to have identified a target, but obviously there is a long way to go with these things and if it doesn’t work out we’ll have to go through the EFL selection process again, carry out the interviews and carry that process through.

“Obviously, our mantra was that we wanted a quick appointment, with pre-season around the corner, but you never know how these things work out. There’s speculation, but there always will be.”

Both parties were left satisfied with Evatt’s move, as Bolton got their man - someone who turned around Barrow’s fortunes on the pitch dramatically during his two years in charge - while AFC received their largest-ever compensation package as part of the deal.

Hornby made it clear that there is no animosity over Evatt’s departure and that the club wish him the best of luck at Bolton next season - aside from their two League Two fixtures with the Bluebirds, naturally.

Hornby said: “I’ve said to a lot of people that we were nomads when he came in - we had narrowly avoided relegation, we had three or four signed-up players and we had no real idea of how we played.

“He came in and gave us an identity, he gave us a brand and he brought in players, he developed players and then he brought in better players to get to the point where we won the National League.

“I’ve said to people that it was a two-year journey. It never just happened this season just gone, it was a two-year journey to get to that point.

“I said to him when he was leaving that he’s given us a ‘roadmap’ and he’s given us a way we want to play, a way that the fans like, and a terrific bunch of players.

“We’ve got 11 signed on for next year and he’s left us in a terrific position and given someone the opportunity to come in and take that on again. It’s another chapter of the story now.”