MICHAEL Wilde has revealed he had lined up a British manager with a view to taking over at Saints following Jan Poortvliet’s resignation.

Wilde, the former football board chairman, would have preferred a British option rather than appointing another Dutchman in Mark Wotte.

He has also defended the controversial appointments of Poortvliet and Wotte.

“If you’re going to rely on young players you have got to have somebody who has a track record,” he told the Daily Echo.

“Jan and Mark Wotte have that experience and that’s what the value of them was."

Full story in today's Daily Echo