Nick Montgomery wants Hibs job as Central Coast Mariners boss makes contact while Easter Road chiefs draw up shortlist

Nick Montgomery wants the Hibs job - and has contacted the Easter Road club to make his interest known.

The Central Coast Mariners boss shot to bookies favourite ahead of the Europa Conference League play-off clash with Aston Villa. Hibs chiefs are whittling down their shortlist and will begin interviews early next week. And Montgomery hopes to be among the candidates to replace sacked Lee Johnson after winning the A-League with the Mariners last season.

St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson is another major contender for the job while former Hibs boss Neil Lennon, Malky Mackay and Derek McInnes have also been touted. Former Scotland U21 international Montgomery has been a revelation in his two years in charge in New South Wales were he led the Mariners to the title despite working with one of the lowest budgets in the league. If Hibs want the 41-year-old however, it would take compensation to buy him out of his contract down under.

Easter Road director of football Brian McDermott and chief executive Ben Kensell leading the hunt for new additions following Johnson’s sacking on Sunday. They have been inundated with applications since they fired Johnson at the weekend.

Robinson is also under serious consideration from the Easter Road board. But the capital club also know that if they want to do a deal then they will have to trigger his £250,000 release clause.

The Northern Irishman, who recently signed a new deal, has worked wonders in his short time in Paisley - leading the Buddies to their first top six split finish in their history last season and just missing out on Europe. They have made an unbeaten start to the Premiership campaign and he has had that success on a relatively shoestring budget, compared to the money