FORMER West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble is the current favourite to replace Ben Garner as head coach of Swindon Town, according to BetVictor.

Town have been searching for a replacement since Garner departed the County Ground for Charlton Athletic last Wednesday.

Noble recently retired following 18 years as a Hammers player and is thought to view a career in coaching as the next logical step.

Ex-Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick was the previous favourite on Monday before punters failed to maintain their support.

Carrick, whose only previous managerial experience was his three-game spell at the Red Devils, had seen his odds slashed to 1-2 on following a spate of betting across the weekend before they inflated back to 6-1.

The two Englishmen's main competitor, according to the bookmaker, is recent Aston Villa Under-23s boss Mark Delaney, with the Welshman priced at just 5-1 to kickstart his own senior managerial career.

Elsewhere, Brighton U-23s head coach Andrew Crofts had been one of the early favourites, but his odds have drifted down to 16-1 putting him alongside former Swindon player Paul Caddis as a potential outsider.

The Argus’ Brighton and Hove Albion correspondent Brian Owen believes that although Crofts has done well in the U23 set-up, it would be a “bold appointment” if Town were to hand him the head coaching position at the County Ground.

Another man who was hotly tipped to take over at SN1 is Ryan Mason, but he has also seen his odds slide to 12-1.

The Tottenham Hotspur first-team coach spent a handful of months on loan at Swindon – making 16 appearances and scoring five goals before injury ended his stint early.

Town’s technical director Sandro Di Michele stated prior to the weekend that the club has a shortlist of credible candidates who they are now in detailed conversation with.

The process of narrowing down those contenders has begun, but Di Michele was reluctant to confirm a timeline with so many variables involved.

In a statement released by the club on Friday, Town said they “understand the urgency” to appoint a new boss but also that they are “committed to finding the right candidate for the job.”

“We are looking for an individual who will play an expansive and attractive brand of football, develop young players, provide a pathway between the Academy and the first-team and engage with our fans and the local community,” read the statement.

It continued: “We want someone who is invested in the long-term project at the Football Club, and we are committed to finding that individual.

“Again, we understand the need and the urgency to recruit a new Head Coach with pre-season only a couple of weeks away, and we want to thank all of our fans for their continued support and patience.”