CHERRIES’ first-team coach Chris Hargreaves is understood to be a contender to fill the vacant manager’s post at his former club Northampton.

Hargreaves was a popular figure at the Sixfields Stadium when he made more than 150 appearances for the Cobblers between 2000 and 2004.

The 41-year-old is one of a number of possible candidates in the frame to replace Aidy Boothroyd who was sacked at the weekend.

Boothroyd was axed following a 4-1 home defeat by Wycombe, a result which left the Cobblers rooted to the foot of the Football League. Hargreaves, Northampton’s player of the year in 2001-02, is believed to have admirers on the club’s board, including chairman David Cardoza.

He joined Cherries in July 2012 and headed up the club’s newly-formed development squad under previous bosses Paul Groves and Shaun Brooks.

Hargreaves was promoted to the first-team staff by Eddie Howe during a reshuffle which saw Stephen Purches handed a player-coach role.

Earlier this season, Hargreaves was linked with Torquay, another of his former clubs, when boss Alan Knill came under pressure during a poor run.

Hargreaves captained the Gulls when they returned to the Football League in 2009, netting in their Conference play-off final victory over Cambridge at Wembley.

In 2011, Hargreaves brought out a book entitled Where’s Your Caravan?, an enlightening account of a career spent mostly in the lower leagues which saw him serve no fewer than 10 clubs.