Hogg informed club chairman Roger Booth of his decision on Monday.

Former first team coach Hogg took the reigns for the Gingerbreads' FA Trophy game at Clitheroe on Saturday and had expressed an interest in taking over John Wilkinson's role on a permanent basis.

Hogg said he was told by Mr Booth and the board last Thursday that they had no-one in mind for the job.

But he said he was later informed by a contact that a non-league management team in the Nottingham area had been approached by the club.

Hogg said: "I wanted to stay at the club and was happy to do the caretaker job. All I wanted was for them to be straight with me. They were just stringing me along."

Mr Booth said he had apologised to Hogg if he thought he had misled him.

He said: "I was very surprised when he said he no longer wanted the position due to the club talking to other managers about the position.
I cannot see what else he expected us to do at the present time."

He said that reserve team manager Tony Taylor would be taking over until a permanent replacement for John Wilkinson is found.

Mr Booth said: "I asked Tony to take charge in the short term while we advertise the position, which he is happy to do.

"The reaction from the playing squad has been terrific. Terry Fleming was back at training on Tuesday to make it a full squad, bar one, that have stayed."

Veteran Dave Gilbert made the decision to leave the club following the departure of Wilkinson last week.

Mr Booth said the club would take their time to find the right person for the job.

He said: "We have already had a number of applications arrive at the club, but want to give people the best chance to apply.

"By advertising, it takes the pressure off us to appoint quickly and gives people time to mull it over before writing to us.

"We have already spoken to a couple of people about the job, but no decisions have been made and none will be until we have had all the applications in and spoken to more people.

"We must make sure that we make the right appointment for the future of this club."

Mr Booth yesterday said the club had so far received 23 applications for the manager's job.