EASTLEIGH have hinted that the wheels are already in motion to find a replacement for sacked boss Chris Todd.

After relieving Todd of his duties this morning, in the wake of last night’s 4-2 defeat against Dover, the club said they had already begun their search for a new boss and were “hopeful of making an announcement by the weekend.”

One thing’s for sure, they shouldn’t be short of choice with Todd reportedly seeing off competition from former Northern Ireland bosses Lawrie Sanchez and Nigel Worthington when he was appointed last October.

Ex-Saint Micky Adams, Gary Waddock, John Askey and Steve Burr were also believed to be in the mix.

Sacking Todd will have been a painful decision for the ambitious Vanarama National League outfit.

The 34-year-old’s positive character and sunny disposition had made him a popular figure around the Silverlake Stadium since he stepped up from assistant manager to take over the reins from Richard Hill - ironically in the wake of a 5-2 home defeat by Dover last September.

Under the likeable Welshman’s charge, the Spitfires started like an express train, immediately winning 3-2 at Wrexham – who they visit again this weekend.

They went on to string together an extraordinary run of results which culminated in an historic FA Cup third round replay at Bolton Wanderers in January and put them right in the promotion mix.

But that FA Cup distraction seemed to take its toll and, with the title long gone Cheltenham’s way, they wound up a disappointing seventh, five points short of the play-offs which they had reached the previous season under Hill.

Following the final game at Woking, Todd hinted that the Spitfires would throw big money at an all-out push for the Football League this season and chairman Stewart Donald did indeed back his manager to the hilt, funding an array of pedigree summer signings, many fresh out of the professional game.

Todd was still adding to his squad this week with his 13th summer capture, Northampton Town midfielder Jason Taylor, arriving just hours before last night’s ill-fated Dover game.

All the signs in pre-season had been positive with Eastleigh winning seven out of nine games. Donald shelled out for a successful team-bonding trip to Scotland and the team peaked with an impressive 4-1 undoing of League One newcomers Northampton to send spirits soaring.

But during a mixed start to the league season – a 2-1 home win over Guiseley, a 1-1 draw at Braintree and Saturday’s unlucky stoppage-time defeat at Tranmere – there were already mutterings of discontent from the fans over Todd’s tactics and team selection.

Tuesday’s Dover match was his chance to get his critics back on side, but it all began to unravel from the moment an horrific blunder from 19-year-old Arsenal loanee goalkeeper Ryan Huddart – selected ahead of the experienced Ross Flitney - gifted the Kent visitors an early second-half lead.

Ross Lafayette, released by the Spitfires just days earlier, rubbed their noses in it by bagging Dover’s second and, although Eastleigh rallied to level through Ryan Bird and Andy Drury with just five minutes of normal time remaining, they pressed the self-destruct button, conceding twice in a shambolic finale.

Todd’s cause was not helped by losing right-back and skipper Joe Partington to an Achilles injury at Braintree and then seeing his replacement Luke Coulson bow out with a shoulder problem at Tranmere having just returned from a bad ankle.

The right-back jinx continued against Dover when David Pipe, the third player to take on the role in four games, was unable to continue after taking a whack on the ankle on the stroke of half-time.