Sunderland are expected to confirm the appointment of St Mirren manager Jack Ross as their new boss today with Shrewsbury’s Paul Hurst now appearing a shoo-in to take over at Town.

Ross, 41, is understood to have agreed terms with the Black Cats during a chaotic Wednesday while away on holiday in Greece but is expected back today when it is anticipated he will put pen to paper at the Stadium of Light.

News that Ross had agreed terms with Sunderland came as a surprise to his current club St Mirren with the Wearsiders only belatedly asking for permission to speak to him, which the Buddies granted “reluctantly”.

Town were similarly caught off guard having reduced their shortlist to Ross and Hurst.

As previously reported, the 43-year-old Shrews manager has been a leading contender from virtually the start of Town’s recruitment process with Ross an initial outsider but the candidate who most impressed Blues owner Evans during interviews.

Town are expected to hold formal talks with Hurst next week after Shrewsbury’s League One play-off final against Rotherham at Wembley on Sunday.

The Blues have kept their distance during the Shrews’ play-off endeavours but it’s long been understood that they have had a strong indication that discussions are likely to progress positively whatever the outcome of Sunday's match.

Town look to be on track to make an announcement in line with Evans’s outlined timescale of late May or early June, probably late next week.

Asked to comment on links with Town early this month, Hurst said: "It's just a compliment to everyone here and the season that we've had."

Pressed on whether he could guarantee that he would stay with the Shrews next season, he added: ”I can't honestly answer that - it would be wrong for me to sit here and say that. I don't know what's going to happen between now and then.

"All I can honestly say is that I enjoy it here, I've got a good relationship with pretty much everyone at the football club and I want to try and take this club to the Championship.”

Hurst's assistant Chris Doig would be likely to follow him to Portman Road while the Blues are also currently short of a goalkeeper-coach and a fitness-coach with Malcolm Webster retiring and Andy Liddell opting to move on. Those positions at Shrewsbury are held by former Wales international Danny Coyne and Marc Lindsey.

Should an obstacle emerge in their pursuit of Hurst then the Blues would return to their longer list of potential recruits with a number of those interviewed also understood to have made an impression on Evans.

Hurst is now the evens favourite to take charge at Town with Bet Victor, while former Wales manager Chris Coleman is surprisingly second in the running at 6-1 and former Brentford, Rangers and Nottingham Forest manager Mark Warburton third at 10-1.

They're followed by Tim Sherwood, 12-1, Scott Parker, 14-1, and Frank Lampard, 16-1, all of whom TWTD revealed were among those interviewed by the Blues.

Photos: Action Images/Allan Picken

black_shuck added 12:06 - May 25 Don't sack the manager and then sit on your backside for 7weeks if you don't want speculation. Especially as ME knew MM would be leaving/sacked months ago.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 12:12 - May 25 No one thought of Huddersfield as a Prem team in waiting. What people think has nothing to do with results. As i have said Hurst has already shown he will leave a club that he has taken up so don't see that as and issue. As for Derby, they have said they have to cut the budget next season and that is one of the reasons Rowett wanyed the stoke move, He's had f all money at every club he has managed and what's a go with some dosh so lets not over hype Derby this year. It comes down to fit for him, that's it. Let's stop trying to read the tea leaves and see who lands shall we. Too many people searching for plot holes before the movie has finished. No doubt some sort of conversations as happened. The article alludes as much so now we wait.

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BlueandTruesince82 added 12:18 - May 25 There will always be speculation..its part and parcel of Football and I have no issues with it. My point is youbdont blame Evans for things beyond his control IE the fact that Shrewsbury are in the P.O. final, the factbthat agents are mouthy. As for sitting on his backside that's even more unfair given Evans and team have waded through ovwr 100 applications, interviewed many, some twice and made subtle overtures elsewhere, talked about the retained list, spoken to played staying or going. That statement Blackschuk is wholly lacking in perspective.

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osborne1nil added 12:25 - May 25 For all anybody knows ME has already sort permission to speak Hurst, agreed by Shrews on condition that kept top secret, perhaps even spoken to him and agreed in principle to manage Town? He probably had already started thinking of options or a short list before MM left. The point is nobody knows outside ME immediate personnel what is happening and I think it is fair to say at the least Hurst has been sounded out if he would be interested or not. Agree that all the press and bookies speculation doesn't help. It may even be a name that hasn't really been mentioned but I think the dates that ME worked to were based around after the playoff finals.

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Cheshire_Blue added 12:29 - May 25 Does anyone really think Hurst ( or anyone else on the short list) comes anywhere near Mick McCarthy in his capability to succeed on minimal finance? Time will tell.
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WoodfordTim added 12:35 - May 25 The bookies are never far out, but just wonder how all this information gets out. Is there a 'mole'? Toady, bookies have: Paul Hurst 4/7 Chris Coleman 5/1 Mark Warburton 7/1 Tim Sherwood 8/1 Scott Parker 12/1 Simon Grayson 12/1 Frank Lampard 16/1 Apart from Paul Hurst, don't fancy any of the others as manager. The anticipation is doing me in
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1RWR added 12:38 - May 25 Cheshire_Blue: "Does anyone really think Hurst ( or anyone else on the short list) comes anywhere near Mick McCarthy in his capability to succeed on minimal finance? " I most certainly do! [can't find how to block capital this!lol]. It's not all about finance Cheshire_Blue, you should know that. It's about getting the best out of the players you have & the players you can afford.We're not very far off a decent squad, not very far off at all. Don't play MM's "don't loose at all costs game" & we'll be ok.

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runningout added 12:47 - May 25 Spot on Arnie
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BlueandTruesince82 added 12:50 - May 25 Woodford. Bookies follow the money. Whilst they may have guide info IS such and such had an interview their odds are driven far more by the bets they take..odds are then calculated to mitigate risk and guard against over exposure. So they donr know much more than us. Hurst is short because of the numerous links and the fact that we have not gone elsewhere as the money goes on him the odds shorten. Almost everyone else is just a money maker prices to attract market share as what the bookies don't want is everyone lumping on Hurst and then having to pay out of it is him..... it's really just driven my numbers and to a point wisdom of the crowd

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DJ27 added 13:06 - May 25 SouperJim. Your post is spot on. It's something i alluded to in another thread. It appears Hurst has always been the top target, and conversations have already been had, despite them not being made public, so as not to disrupt Shrewsbury's preperations for Wembley. It appears ME has gone about his his business in a highly professional and ethical manner. Asking for permission to speak to other Clubs manager, completely opposite to Sunderland. I know who i'd rather have in charge of my club.

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thechangingman added 13:09 - May 25 As this now seems to be coming to a conclusion, I have to say that I am pleased with the outcome if it ends up being Hurst. As others have noted, I knew next-to-nothing about Ross or Hurst a few weeks ago and I'd have been very happy indeed with either of them. After the past decade we might, at last, be starting to move forwards in a progressive and positive manner. Here's to a brand new season and a brand new era... COYB!!

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jabberjackson added 13:13 - May 25 I would like to take this opportunity to commend Blueandtrue on his commitment to this story. I agree with each and every of the 4758 words he has written on this. I am sad that he just missed out on the "Boys of 81", however Hurst in!
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Palestine added 13:41 - May 25 Praying for Hurst. Would take Warburton if we can't get him.
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Josh271092 added 14:19 - May 25 Derby seem to be hung up on Lampard, and failing that Dean Smith - so can't see them throwing a spanner in the works. If they do get Smith however, I would guess that Hurst is someone that Brentford might look at. Ipswich or Brentford is surely a no-brainer in our favour.
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toxtethblue added 15:16 - May 25 Doesn't sound like a 'shoe in' yet to me. It will make my year if Hurst joins as he/we will do very well. We have to be realistic though and realise that with all the penny pinching/footy on a shoestring, we are not the draw for a manager we once were. Coleman would be a disaster.
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Europablue added 17:03 - May 25 Last I heard, Derby are keen on Lampard
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JimInGreensboro added 19:13 - May 25 From Hurst to First! COYB.
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SickParrot added 19:58 - May 25 I hope that TWTD are correct in reporting that Hurst now "appears to be a shoo-in to take over at Town". He has been my preferred candidate all along. For him to be a "shoo-in" (a certainty) we must have had contact with him (presumably with Shrewsbury's consent) and he must have confirmed that he will take the job. In these circumstances (whilst it would be prudent to talk to other candidates in case Hurst changes his mind) would ME require Ross and Lampard to attend a second interview, as TWTD has also reported? I hope I am wrong but I fear that there is no agreement with Hurst and that if Shrewsbury are promoted he will stay there and if they are not he could go to another club (Derby?). This could well turn out to be another ME cock-up. Don't be surprised if we finish up with a manager that nobody else wants like Pardoe or Sherwood.

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BuckieBlue added 21:16 - May 25 Re Ross, surely if ME had been that hugely taken with him he would be our new manager by now, so Hurst must have been seen as better option. If we get him young 'hungry' manager with lower league contacts for similarly 'hungry,' unknown talents could give us back the good times.
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dannysigma added 20:06 - May 26 We are, and we always have been, a club that does things right. We are not hooligans. We do not cause fights. We go out of our way to get on with other teams' supporters. Except the scum. We have waited to talk to Hurst until the time is right. Even if that does not work, for whatever reason, I would much rather we did that than went for Jack Ross behind St. Mirren's back. Clearly, he has no problem letting his team down, and Sunderland have no problem running with that. Best of luck to them. We don't do that though. We are Ipswich. Rant over.

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Swn98 added 21:57 - May 26 Zero to hero TWTD seems to of turned into a love fest for ME if DJ27 is any indication to the latest sentiments.
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1RWR added 07:58 - May 27 Nothing wrong with DJ27's post Swn98! Evans, this time round, seems to have conducted himself in a professional & proper manner.
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Swn98 added 14:15 - May 27 Didn't say there was did i?
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