WIMBORNE Town are keen to take the unusual step of recruiting their next manager to come in and work alongside outgoing boss Paul Arnold for the remainder of the season.

The Magpies, who saw this season's last chance of silverware disappear with the Wessex League Cup penalty shoot-out defeat to Bournemouth Poppies on Tuesday, will advertise the manager's position this week after Arnold decided to call time on his reign at Cuthbury.

Director Paul Miller told the Daily Echo: "We're looking for someone to come in and work alongside Paul for the remaining games of the season as a kind of transitional period if possible.

"That way they can get a feel of the place and the players and then be in a position to take the club into next season."

Wimborne however have denied that they will actively recruit their new manager.

Asked if former manager Alex Pike - who is currently in charge at Gosport Borough - was the number one choice, Miller said: "We will advertise the job and if people want to apply who are already in a job, then that is up to them.

"A lot of names have been mentioned and Alex is one of those. He was very successful here during his last spell in charge and if he applied, we would look at his application on merit just the same as we would anyone else.

"But we have no intentions of head-hunting anyone."

Pike responded: "I have never applied for a job in my life and I have no intention of applying for the Wimborne job.

"I don't think Sir Alex Ferguson, José Mourinho or Arsene Wenger applied for their jobs."

On the retiring boss Arnold, Miller said: "He'll be a huge loss. He's got a great personality is a nice bloke to have around the club and he'll be sadly missed. But now as a club, we have to move on."

Arnold, meanwhile, believes the time is right for a "different voice" and revealed that the FA Vase quarter-final loss at AFC Totton had made up his mind that the time was right to step down.

He said: "The way we competed on the day was hard pill to swallow and maybe that was the time I thought it might be best to stand aside.

"The players here are certainly good enough and maybe they need that extra bit of motivation from a different voice.

"Whoever comes in will inherit a very good bunch of players."