Butcher set for Barnsley talks

Barnsley have identified Terry Butcher, pictured, as the man to succeed Keith Hill

7 January 2013

Inverness have given npower Championship club Barnsley permission to speak to manager Terry Butcher about the vacancy at Oakwell.

The Tykes sacked Keith Hill at the end of last month after they slipped to the bottom of the table and were hoping to appoint Sean O'Driscoll as his permanent replacement. But O'Driscoll, 55, surprisingly sacked by Nottingham Forest just hours after their Boxing Day win over Leeds, turned down the Barnsley job on Sunday.

Club director Don Rowing told Press Association Sport on Monday morning that interviews would resume at Oakwell in the next 48 hours. Inverness chairman Kenny Cameron said in a statement: "We have given Barnsley FC permission to speak to Terry."

He added: "Given our current position in the SPL and the fact we have a cup semi-final on the horizon, it is inevitable that if any managerial positions come up our management team will no doubt be on the radar.

"We will be doing everything possible to ensure that Terry remains with the club and finishes what has been an incredible journey to date for us all."

Barnsley director Don Rowing told Press Association Sport: "We've sought permission to speak with Terry Butcher and Inverness have agreed, so we expect to meet with him within the next 48 hours about the first-team manager's vacancy."

Butcher, 54, in charge of Inverness since replacing Craig Brewster in January 2009, was unable to save the club from relegation from the Scottish Premier League at the end of that season, but steered them straight back at the first attempt.

The former Ipswich and Rangers defender, who won 77 international caps and skippered England following injury to Bryan Robson during the 1990 World Cup finals, has had spells in charge of Coventry and Motherwell with briefs stints as manager at Sunderland, Sydney FC and Brentford.

Butcher has this season guided Inverness up to second place behind Celtic in the SPL table, while the club play Hearts in the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup later this month.

Barnsley are looking to appoint their sixth manager in the last seven and a half years.