KIDDERMINSTER Harriers have started sifting through the applications for their vacant manager's job as the dust settles on Jan Molby's shock resignation from the club.

Molby quit Aggborough last Thursday with Harriers rooted to the bottom of the Football League with just three wins, three draws and nine defeats.

It is believed that Kidderminster's crippling injury list and lack of money to bring in new players was the final straw for the Dane.

His departure brought to an end his second spell at the club which he memorably led into League football for the first time in their history in 2000.

Youth team manager Shaun Cunnington has been placed in temporary charge of team affairs, along with Molby's assistant, Gary Barnett.

The duo presided over Saturday's narrow 1-0 home defeat to fellow League Two strugglers Shrewsbury Town, and are set to stay at the helm for the next month.

Chairman Colin Youngjohns, revealed there had already been more than 30 applications for the job.

He said the board of directors were keeping an open mind on the type of candidate they were looking for to succeed Molby. "There's been pretty considerable interest in the vacancy," he explained.

"However difficult it appears, this is still a Football League club and there's only 92 jobs at this level."

Mr Youngjohns admitted former Liverpool star, Molby, had become disillusioned with trying to field a competitive team on a restricted budget.

"I could see it was getting to him. It is a frustrating business when you want to do things and you can't for a variety of reasons.

"It is compounded when the plans that you make are destroyed by the week and by the day and by injuries and suspensions."

Cunnington, 38, said he was honoured to have been given the challenge of temporarily reviving Harriers' fortunes and revealed he would relish the job on a permanent basis.

"It's going to be a hard task but I'm determined to turn it around and show the directors I've got a future at this football club," said the former West Bromwich Albion midfielder.

"The directors have told me what our budget is and have s aid all football matters are down to me so if I can do any wheeling and dealing I will do.

"The positive that came out of the game the other day was the players' attitude. It's been absolutely fantastic and we just need to get some results."

Sports editor Mat Kendrick spoke to Harriers fans before Saturday's crucial bottom-of-the-table home clash with Shrewsbury and got mixed views on the crisis at Aggborough...

l Alan Shepherd, 52, chairman of Kidderminster Harriers Independent Supporters Trust:

"You've got some people saying Jan out and others saying stick with him. I think the general feeling was really nobody at heart wanted to lose him. It's a very dicey situation now and the new boss coming in has got to be just right."

l John Hadley, 67, Perton: "Other people should have gone. There's a lot of things going on and I feel sorry for Molby. If you're not given the budget, you can't sign good enough players. I want them to do well but, unless something changes behind the scenes, they've got one foot in the Conference."

l John Howells, 22, Cleobury: "We need fresh blood at the club so he was right to go. We need somebody to lead us because we've not got anybody at the moment. It's not all the manager's fault, it's the players' fault as well because they were just not playing for him. But they're all very young and inexperienced and need better guidance."

l Karen Lewis, 46, Redditch: "Molby probably should have stayed longer. We'll just have to see whether we can cope. I hope they can get out of it, as my son, Daniel, is the reserve keeper and he's out with a broken finger. It's not been great to watch but it's easy to say that from the sidelines; it's more difficult when you're out there."

l Stuart Berrington, 35, Kidderminster: "Molby is a great man and a great player but I don't think he is a great manager. Clearing out the team at the end of the season was a mistake. He's started again and brought in his own players, so this is his team and he can't make any excuses about them being Ian Britton's players."

l Tracy Weaver, 35, Kidderminster: "Molby should have stayed - he's left us in the lurch. You need a manager to stay and manage but he's just walked away. If he'd have given it time he might have turned it round but he wasn't prepared to do that. We'll need a miracle now to stay up and I'd be surprised if anybody wanted to take the job."