Jim Bentley backed for Shrewsbury Town job

The Morecambe chief has distanced himself from the role but bookmakers still have the former Bucks Head skipper as one of the favourites.

Palmer, who played alongside Bentley during the scouser's five-year stint at Telford, believes his former team-mate has what it takes to succeed and is eager to see him perform at the next level.

"It's no surprise to me that Shrewsbury or other clubs are looking at him to be honest," said ex-Bucks midfielder Palmer, who manages Midland League side AFC Wulfrunians.

"For me, if you look at Jim's career as a player, then he was always captain. He came to Telford and the first thing we did is make him captain and the same when he went to Morecambe.

"From their point of view, they'd be very lost without Jim Bentley.

"Morecambe are a League Two club with home crowds below the Conference North, never mind the Conference. At the start of every season, they're the whipping boys.

"They struggle at home with no crowd but they went to Notts County on Tuesday and won again. From Jim's point of view you'd want to see what he was like with a real home base."

Bentley has been leading the odds to replace Micky Mellon at the Greenhous Meadow helm.

Palmer recalls Telford actually taking Bentley from a trial with Salop before signing permanently.

The Liverpool-born defender spent five years at Telford before a nine-year playing spell with The Shrimps.

Bentley's late father Jack is Telford's all-time record goalscorer, with 431 goals across the 1960s and 70s.

Palmer added: "You do wonder, if he'd had the backing other managers have had, what he'd have been able to achieve.

"Are other managers going to do things that Jim can't? I really don't believe it."

Meanwhile, former Tottenham defender Dean Austin and ex-Wolves midfielder Alex Rae, who was St Mirren boss under Town chief executive Brian Caldwell, are the latest names to be linked to the post.