BLACKPOOL boss Gary Bowyer has expressed his surprise at speculation linking him with the vacant role at Swindon Town.

Bowyer, who will lead the Tangerines into Sunday's League Two play-off final against Exeter at Wembley, has shortened in the bookmakers' odds, with Sky Bet offering him at 7/2 to take over at the County Ground.

But responding to the speculation today, the 45 year old told the Blackpool Gazette: “It’s news to me.

“I got told this morning by someone else that I was being linked to another job. He said ‘you’ve been linked with such and such’. I said ‘have I?’

“He said ‘yeah, you’re 25/1’. Well, that’s not being linked is it?"

Bowyer arrived at Bloomfield Road during the summer after being sacked by Blackburn Rovers in November 2015.

The Tangerines had suffered back-to-back relegations but Bowyer guided them to this season's play-offs in which they came through a two-legged semi final against Luton last week.

Bowyer added: “Blackpool were brilliant with me in the summer because they gave me a job.

“Jobs are difficult to come by and you look at the number of foreigners coming into management - not just in the Premier League, but in the Championship and even League One - it’s making it very difficult for English managers.

“So at this moment in time, I’m delighted to be working here.”

Town chairman Lee Power is understood to be working from a shortlist of three names as he seeks to appoint a boss who will have "100 per cent control'' over football matters, following the departure of head coach Luke Williams earlier this month.

But his efforts to have a new boss in place by the end of last week failed.

Town were rebuffed in their approach for Mansfield chief Steve Evans, while ex-Bristol City boss Steve Cotterill and former Town player Adi Viveash distanced themselves from the post.

Partick Thistle chief Alan Archibald has also been linked, saying that he would consider any offer made but that one had so far not been forthcoming.

Power insists he won't be afraid to splash the cash should it be that the individual he wants is already in employment, saying at the weekend: “There’s been speculation for different managers. If the right one is there and we get permission to speak to them and it costs money, then it does.”