PRESTATYN Town could be on the lookout for a new figurehead after the club parted ways with John Lawless.

The latest bombshell emanating from the JD Cymru North champions occurred on Thursday, which came at incredibly bad timing after Lawless was starting to win around sections of the fan-base who were less than impressed with his initial appointment.

Whoever comes into the fold will have a huge job on their hands, with almost all their recent signings now set to go back on their decision to join the set-up after agreeing to work with Lawless thanks to previous relationships during their time in the game.

We are now almost halfway through the January transfer window, which means time is of the essence to sustain the future of the club on the pitch.

Here are some candidates that Jamie Welsh should strongly consider for the role.

Niall McGuinness

The most obvious candidate who jumps out is Niall McGuinness, who was sacked by Flint Town United following a disappointing start to life in the JD Cymru Premier after they were awarded promotion at the expense of Prestatyn.

McGuinness has all the coaching credentials and has accumulated a wealth of experience at this level despite being relatively young for a manager. He turned Flint from underachievers to cup winners on his way to two second-placed finishes and he has the contacts needed to assemble a squad in a short space of time.

Welsh could do far worse than look in McGuinness’ direction, who has made no secret about his desire to return to the dugout at the earliest possible opportunity.

Alan Bickerstaff

A hugely qualified and respected coach, Alan Bickerstaff has been out of the game since his time with Caernarfon Town and is another name that should be high on the shortlist.

There isn’t much that Bickerstaff hasn’t seen in the game during his career, which has come with plenty of success at the likes of Rhyl and Connah’s Quay Nomads.

Whether he would be willing to take on a substantial challenge such as this on is another matter entirely, but it is an option worth considering.

Jay McEveley

A former professional who would have had an exceptional career had it not been for injury, Jay McEveley is working his ay up the coaching ranks and has been working with the Prestatyn Town Academy in recent months.

This might not fit in with the local ethos that has been the cornerstone of the club’s success over the years, but it might get the Merseyside-based players who originally agreed to sign for Town under Lawless back onside.

McEveley is a strong option, but much will depend on whether he would want to give up so much time to the role with his other commitments.

Ryan Turner

There has been plenty of change at the Seasiders’ in recent months, but Ryan Turner remains the one constant. He is the current first-team manager and could be given the role long-term despite not having the necessary qualifications needed to secure promotion from a licence perspective.

That being said, it doesn’t appear likely that Town will be challenging for honours when competitive action resumes given all the upheaval at Bastion Gardens, so giving Turner a chance to prove himself might be best for all parties involved.

He has done some tremendous work with the Academy and senior side in recent years, and his loyalty to the set-up is unquestioned at this juncture when it would probably have been easier to walk away.