SAUCHIE supremo Noel Dalli confirmed the club will take its time to appoint a new manager, following Iain Diack's surprise resignation.

Diack and the club parted ways last week just hours before the Reds' place in the new East of Scotland Premier Division was confirmed.

Assistant coach Darren Cummings and first team coach Darren Petrie were placed in temporary charge of the team with pre-season already fast approaching.

And speaking to Advertiser Sport, Dalli confirmed the club were in no rush to name a successor to Diack and would happily wait to find the right man.

"It's not about timing and instead about finding the right person," the club chairman said. "Even if it is the last minute.

"We've got a wee bit of time for things to settle down and to find the right man.

"The two Darrens will bridge the gap. Neither of them are probably ready to step in on a full time basis, but they are perfect for now.

"They will be here and we will look to them to start to prepare for next season for when a manager comes in.

"I trust the two lads to lead us for now and they will be expecting to be there."

Cummings has been a mainstay at the club for a number of years, minus a short stint at local rivals Bo'ness United.

A two-goal hero in the East of Scotland Cup triumph of 2014, he replaced Adrian Hanson as assistant earlier this year.

Former Dundee United and Raith Rovers ace Petrie, meanwhile, only joined the club last summer, but was forced to retire due to injury in February when he moved into his current role.

One of the first challenges for the Darrens will be securing the key players from Sauchie's squad ahead of next season.

Dalli took the decision to wait until the side's place in the Premier Division was confirmed before releasing funds, meaning most of the playing staff are yet to sign on for next season.

The bulk of the squad, including the likes of David Cross and Terry Hewitt, are out of contract and there are concerns other clubs have been showing interest in pinching them from Beechwood.

But, Dalli is convinced Premier Division football will now prove an enticing carrot with which to fight off the interests of their rivals.

He added: "We have to deal with that now.

"We will now be a wee bit more attractive to players and managers in the Premier Division.

"We are always competing against the other clubs in the Forth Valley so it is crucial that we are in the league.

"But we just have to get on with it and get things done."