ALTRINCHAM’S caretaker manager, Ken Mckenna, is not worried that there has been no announcement yet regarding a permanent successor to Graham Heathcote.

”As far as I’m concerned I am the manager and hopefully I will be able to sit down and talk with the chairman on Thursday after he returns from watching the England C team play in Estonia. "There’s no problem as far as I can see, but all my efforts at the moment are going in to try to sort out the short term issues that we have here.”

Mckenna was at a loss to explain Saturday’s 3-0 capitulation at Histon, a result that keeps the Robins firmly rooted to the foot of the table.

”The penalty changed the game and we really struggled to respond after that early blow. I have been working very hard to try to get some new players in, but I don’t just want to take other people’s problems and I have also been looking in the lower leagues, but have been quite surprised by the money that many of these players are on.

“I’m very happy to be doing this job, despite the club’s current plight and feel that I have got really good backroom staff to support me. I’m keen to have Stuart Bimson as my assistant.

"He’s a great motivator with excellent coaching skills and knows the game at this level inside out.”

One bright piece of news for the beleaguered Robins is that full back, Matt Doughty, is close to being available again after eight months out with a cruciate ligament injury. Doughty has joined Curzon Ashton on loan to gain match fitness and it shouldn’t be too long before he pulls on a red and white striped shirt.

Altrincham have been handed a home tie in the FA Cup 4th qualifying round for the first time in six years. They will face fellow Blue Square Bet Premier outfit Gateshead on October 23.

Before that Fleetwood Town visit Moss Lane this Saturday for the first time in more than 30 years. Fleetwood are fourth in the Blue Square Bet Premier and will provide very tough opposition. The game kicks off at 3pm.