The search is under way for a new manager at Cove Rangers following Paul Hartley’s departure from the club on Friday.
The League One champions thought they had held off interest from Hartlepool United for their manager but the English League Two side returned with an improved offer and have managed to prise the Cove boss away from Balmoral Stadium.
With two promotions in three years Hartley’s successor will have big shoes to fill at the Championship newcomers next season.
But with the club also inviting applications for the vacant position they are unlikely to be short of options when it comes to naming Hartley’s successor.
We take a look at who we believe will be among the runners and riders for the role.
Stuart Kettlewell
A stalwart of Ross County, Kettlewell was appointed coach of the under-20 team in 2016 and led the young Staggies to the SPFL Development League title in his first season in charge.
He and academy director Steven Ferguson were appointed first-team co-managers following Owen Coyle’s resignation in March 2018 where they led County to the 2019-20 Championship title.
Kettlewell assumed full control that summer but was dismissed in December 2020 with County four points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership.
Kettlewell is eager to get back into the game and was linked with the vacant manager’s job at Kilmarnock after Tommy Wright was sacked in December 2021 before former Dons boss Derek McInnes was appointed manager at Rugby Park.
Jim McIntyre
Another former County manager, McIntyre led the Staggies to their first major trophy when he guided the team to League Cup glory in 2016.
However, with the team in 10th place the former Dunfermline and Queen of the South boss was dismissed in September 2017.
McIntyre turned down the chance to manage Falkirk but returned to the dugout in October 2018 as manager of Dundee.
However, his time at Dens Park was a poor one and following the club’s relegation from the Premiership in May 2019 he was sacked after winning just four out of his 31 games in charge.
McIntyre has the experience and may feel he has a point to prove after a disappointing spell in Dundee.
Stewart Petrie
The former Forfar manager has been in charge at Montrose in League One since December 2016.
Petrie guided the Gable Endies to the League Two title in 2018 and has kept the club in the play-off places every season he has been in charge at Links Park.
Montrose finished fourth in 2019, 2020 and 2021 before finishing third this season. Petrie’s side missed out on a place in the Championship Play-off final after a remarkable 6-5 aggregate defeat to Airdrie in the semi-final.
But Petrie’s ability to get the best out of his part-time team against clubs with much bigger resources has not gone unnoticed in the lower leagues of Scottish football.
Barry Robson
The former Scotland international midfielder has worked as a youth coach at Aberdeen since hanging up his boots in the summer of 2016.
Robson boasts a terrific CV from his playing career and is highly regarded at Pittodrie for his work in helping bring through young players from the AFC youth academy to the first team.
His lack of first-team managerial experience could be viewed as a risk by some but it seems inevitable a club is going to offer Robson that chance soon. Why not Cove?
John Robertson
They don’t come much more experienced than Caley Thistle’s sporting director.
Former Hearts striker Robertson has managed Inverness twice and boasts spells with Hearts, Ross County, Livingston, Derry City and East Fife between his two spells at Caledonian Stadium.
The man who led Inverness to the SPL and won the Challenge Cup twice with the club, took compassionate leave from Caley Jags in February 2021. He returned three months later as sporting director with Billy Dodds replacing him in the Inverness dugout.
One year on could Robbo be tempted back into management? If the answer is yes then Cove could be the sort of challenge to interest him.
John Hughes
The man who guided Caley Thistle to Scottish Cup glory and into Europe for the first time in the club’s history has been on a managerial rollercoaster since leaving Caledonian Stadium in 2016.
He joined Raith Rovers in February 2017 only for the club to be relegated after a play-off loss to Brechin City.
He returned to the game at Ross County in December 2020, guiding the club away from the relegation zone to a 10th place finish but left at the end of his contract in the summer of 2021.
Hughes’ most recent challenge was with Dunfermline in the Championship but he resigned at the end of the season after the club was relegated to League One following a play-off loss to Queen’s Park.
It will be no surprise if Hughes applies for the chance to replace Hartley at Cove.
