IN a week of upheaval at City, we look at five potential candidates that might be in the running for the job following the departure of Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars.

RICHIE WELLENS

Wellens, at 41, is a relative veteran compared to the recently departed Trueman and Sellars, but he has already experienced the highs and lows League One and Two can bring.

He was dismissed after Oldham's relegation to League Two in the summer of 2018, but took over at Swindon that November when they dismissed Phil Brown.

He helped them finish the season in 13th, before guiding an exciting, high-pressing Swindon team to the title last season on points per game, where they were heavily reliant on the goals of on-loan City striker Eoin Doyle.

Wellens made the surprise switch back to League Two to take over at Salford, but was dismissed with the club just outside of the play-offs in March.

The Manchester-born boss was linked to City before, when he was at Oldham, and though his Salford side were not as prolific as that rock and roll Swindon outfit, with age on his side, and a league title and EFL Trophy under his belt, he could be a viable option.

DEREK ADAMS

Many fans are talking about the prospect of Adams coming in, but he has currently got his hands rather full after leading Morecambe to a shock play-off berth and nearly automatic promotion.

The likes of the Daily Record and The Sun are already speculating that the Scot could be City's new man, and it would be hard to argue if he was their first choice.

Morecambe have been treading water for a long time, finishing in the bottom seven in each of the last five League Two seasons, but Adams has transformed them.

His attacking style of play has taken the league by storm, and they finished as the third highest scorers behind Cambridge and Exeter.

They almost went up after beating City on the final day, but a Bolton win ensured the Trotters finished third and Adams' men missed out by a point.

Adams also went up twice with Ross County, and like Wellens, he has got a team promoted from League Two in Plymouth back in 2017.

A good sign, as getting back to League One has to be City's main priority next season.

KENNY JACKETT

There is not a lot of speculation surrounding Jackett, as he is the favourite to take the vacant position at Leyton Orient, but the wily old campaigner has plenty of Football League experience at a higher level.

He got Millwall promoted to the Championship over a decade ago via the play-offs and took them to an FA Cup semi-final too.

Jackett then won League One with Wolves, dragging them up from their lowest ebb in years.

But recently things have been a little hit and miss for Jackett. He resigned as Rotherham boss after just 39 days in 2016 and he also failed to take an ambitious Portsmouth up from League One.

Though he did win the EFL Trophy with the South Coast club, many of the fans turned against him in his latter days there, citing a lack of entertaining football and his long-ball style.

He was sacked in March of this year.

With Jackett, City get a man with buckets of experience, but has his time gone now?

GRAHAM ALEXANDER

Alexander, like Adams, is one of the two managers in this list who is currently in a job.

The 49-year-old has plenty of managerial experience already and has also taken a team up from League Two in the past in Fleetwood.

Having almost got Scunthorpe promoted to the Championship, he made the surprise decision to join National League side Salford for the 2018/19 season.

They won promotion and in their first season in the Football League, he guided them to 11th and the EFL Trophy final, which Wellens subsequently won after the match was suspended for a year due to the pandemic.

Alexander was harshly sacked with the club in fifth in October 2020. He took over at Scottish Premiership side Motherwell earlier this year, where they currently sit seventh with a game left to play.

Alexander has been criticised in the past for a perceived cautious approach to matches, but he has got previous for identifying hidden gems, such as the prolific Ivan Toney, who may soon be Premier League bound.

Would he really leave Motherwell after only four months in charge though?

PHIL PARKINSON

Parky is revered at Valley Parade, but surely a return is an outside bet at best?

He is responsible for virtually all of the Bantams' best moments over the last decade, such as a League Cup final appearance, a League Two play-off final win, and beating Chelsea in the FA Cup.

He has not had an easy time of things since leaving City, getting Bolton promoted from League One, but taking them straight back down again, all while under severe financial constraints.

His time at Sunderland was no outright failure, but he failed to get the north-east giants into the second tier, the bare minimum expected of him, and he alienated key players like Aiden McGeady.

He parted company with the Black Cats in November 2020, so is available, but we all know the risks of a return and a possible tarnishing of his legacy. Just ask Stuart McCall.