JULIAN Darby is set to lead Wanderers into battle again tomorrow night against Northampton Town as the process of finding the next permanent manager takes another step forward.

Ex-Plymouth and Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher remains the favourite to succeed Ian Evatt at the Toughsheet Stadium and is under consideration, but the club remains keen on conducting a full and thorough interview process and has also spoken to other candidates.

Guiding the decision-making is sporting director, Chris Markham, and Wanderers have also sought input from Ian Graham and his Ludonautics data company.

There is currently no indication on when an announcement will be made but Darby, Andy Taylor and Andy Tutte have been prepped to take first team training on Monday and make preparations for the visit of Kevin Nolan’s Cobblers after a dramatic 1-0 win at Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

For lifelong supporter Darby, scenes of celebration in front of the away supporters at the end, holding his grandson in arms, were priceless.

The 57-year-old had stepped up from coaching the Under-18s to guide Wanderers against a Huddersfield team that had not been beaten in the league since October.

And after the players produced a committed and steely performance, Darby said after the game that they deserved the credit.

“You roll your sleeves up, that’s all the supporters are after,” he told The Bolton News. “You might win, you might lose a couple, but they are all asking for 100 per cent and that’s what I said to them.

“You wear the shirt and that badge with flipping pride. You go and win your tackles because you’re tough Northerners and it’s what we do.

“And, listen, every one of them did that, they were absolutely terrific. I can’t praise them enough.”

Darby wasn’t about to throw his hat into the ring for the manager’s job, joking that he hadn’t had a wink of sleep in the days leading up to the Huddersfield game.

But he was delighted by the response he got from a team which had been through the wringer in recent months, struggling to deal with the pressures of a faltering promotion effort and the negativity aimed towards previous manager, Ian Evatt.

“We have got to go and do it all again on Tuesday night,” Darby said. “I’ve just been living the dream.

“I've been an absolute embarrassment, really. I'm an emotional wreck. On the way here today, even on the bus. I was saying to myself: ‘Come on man, pull yourself together, you’re what, 57 years old now, let’s crack on, we have got a game here!’

“So, I was glad when the game actually started. I’ll probably have a couple of drinks with family tonight because they have been through it as well.

“My wife said my son had been an emotional wreck like me and he was up in the directors’ box when we scored, I had a little glance up and he was stood there, giving it large. I was proud but I’m more proud for my family. I means so much to them.

“And then after the game it was in my head (to take his grandson on to the pitch), but I’m thinking ‘we’re not going to win, are we?’ I thought I’d take him over and they are some lasting memories for him.

“He probably won't remember this being so young. But when he looks back in years to some, it's just there in history. Magic.”