Peter Jackson and John Still are in a straight head-to-head battle for the City helm.

But there is no sign of a decision being made until the club’s stadium crisis is resolved.

Mark Lawn confirmed that there were only two men in the hunt – as he criticised previous boss Peter Taylor for City’s woeful season.

Lawn said: “We’re in a state of flux at present. I’ve told Peter Jackson and Colin Cooper to look at things as though they will be the management team.

“We haven’t made our decision yet and can’t do that until we sort out the bigger situation.

“More people have applied and some of them are established names as well. But it’s whether we go down that route or not.

“I think for Julian (Rhodes) and myself, it’s between two and always has been. Whether we would start to reinterview or not, I don’t think so.”

City joint-chairman Lawn admits he was embarrassed by the club’s lowest league finish in 45 years – a result made worse because hopes were so high when Taylor came in.

Lawn said: “There’s nothing I can do about it now. I made the wrong choice (of manager).

“Hindsight’s a wonderful thing and you’ll still get fans turning round and saying they didn’t fancy Peter Taylor for the job. But 99 per cent would have picked him.”

* Read full story in today’s Telegraph & Argus