Candidates are in for top boss

THE SHORT LIST is out for the SFWA Manager of the Year award – Livingston’s David Martindale, Steven Gerrard of Rangers, St Johnstone boss Callum Davidson and Scotland head coach Steve Clarke.

Martindale, 46, guided Livi on an unbeaten 14-game streak after taking charge in November, which saw the club finish in the top six for the second season in a row.

That run also saw them land a League Cup final slot, where they lost out to Davidson’s Saints.

In his first season as a boss Davidson, 44, also has the Perth side sitting in fifth spot and facing a Scottish Cup semi-final against St Mirren this weekend.

Gerrard, 40, steered the Ibrox side to their first title since 2011 and halted Celtic’s bid for an historic ten-in-a-row.

The club are also just two games short of finishing the season unbeaten and need only four points to hit the 100-mark.

Clarke, 57, is the man who finally sealed Scotland’s return to a major finals.

He led the national side to this summer’s Euros via the play-offs, culminating in that nerve-shredding penalty shootout win over Serbia.

The winning manager will be announced in newspapers before the end of the season.