Chris Turner in frame for Walsall job

Chris Turner today became the latest name in the frame to become Walsall's new manager.

Chris Turner today became the latest name in the frame to become Walsall's new manager.

The former Hartlepool boss is in the running to replace Chris Hutchings, who was sacked by the Saddlers yesterday with the club bottom of League One.

Sources close to Turner - a former Wolves youth-team coach - confirmed he will apply for the job after leaving Victoria Park in August following a two-year spell.

Turner knows current caretaker boss and head of youth Dean Smith after handing him the captaincy during his time as Sheffield Wednesday manager.

The Sheffield-born 52-year-old also had spells at Leyton Orient and Stockport County and would fit the bill with the Saddlers in desperate need of help.

He saved Hartlepool from dropping out of the Football League in 1999 during a successful first spell which helped him land the Wednesday job in 2003.

Turner returned to Hartlepool in 2006 as director of sport and became manager for the second time in 2008, keeping them in League One in 2009 and 2010.

The experienced boss was also part of a consortium who tried to buy boyhood club Wednesday but lost out to Milan Mandaric last month.

But Turner faces competition for the job with Mark Kinsella an early favourite after he was sacked as first-team coach by Charlton yesterday, along with manager Phil Parkinson.

Kinsella used to be in charge of the reserve team manager at Walsall and is highly thought of by the club's hierarchy. But the 38-year-old, who lives locally, has yet to confirm whether he would be interested.

Jim Gannon and David Penney have also been touted, while former Ferencvaros boss Bobby Davison has confirmed to the Express & Star that he has also applied for the job.