AFC Hornchurch is searching for a new manager after saying farewell to the long-serving Jimmy McFarlane.

Romford Recorder: Jimmy McFarlane is seen with his son Ricky attending the game between Hornchurch and Canvey Island in the Bostik North on March 10 2018 - less than a month after his stroke (pic: George Phillipou/TGS Photo).Jimmy McFarlane is seen with his son Ricky attending the game between Hornchurch and Canvey Island in the Bostik North on March 10 2018 - less than a month after his stroke (pic: George Phillipou/TGS Photo). (Image: ©TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468)

The Urchins head to Whitehawk on Saturday, almost a week after McFarlane decided to resign from his role following their 3-1 defeat to Haringey Borough in the Bostik Premier Division.

Colin McBride will stand in as manager on a temporary but he is keen to appoint a new manager quickly and admitted he was sad about his former player’s decision to leave.

“We’ve got to move on and bring someone in as soon as we can,” said McBride after the 3-0 Velocity Trophy win over Chipstead in midweek.

“We’ve been speaking to people the last two days, and there’s some really good candidates, so the group of us have got to make a decision.

“I want to do it as soon as I can really as I don’t particularly want to be the manager and I’ve made that clear to the players.”

The coach and former chairman feels the players let McFarlane down in recent weeks and says they will miss how fair he was with them.

“I think they’ve really let him down and I think they should be ashamed of themselves and I told them that,” he added.

“They won’t play for a fairer man. They’re going to miss Jimmy as a man and a manager as he was really loyal to them and probably too loyal.”

McBride also revealed he was not shocked by McFarlane’s decision to step away as he had been debating the idea for a number of weeks, following his stroke in February.

“I didn’t go on Saturday as I went to a game to look at a player for us and the team we’ve got next week,” he added.

“I got indoors and I said to my wife, I’ve got a feeling Jimmy will ring. He kept saying ‘this is the best thing for the club as I’m not ready’ and in truth probably no other club would have brought someone back like that.

“But he has been an important part of the club, so for me, after 20 years together, I don’t know where I stand with it to be fair.

“I’m really disappointed, I kept saying to him a couple of wins and a couple of new faces and it all looks better.

“The reason he was adamant is because he is not functioning where he wants to be.

“I was with him for four hours on Monday, we sat round his house and spoke about football, and as I left he said ‘sorry I let you down’. He has been with me 20 years and hasn’t let me down once.”