Shaw Lane AFC are hoping to appoint a new manager within the next week after Craig Elliott's shock decision to move to Boston United on Sunday.

Elliott ended his spell at Shaw Lane – which has lasted almost four years and brought three promotions as well as a run to the FA Cup first round earlier this month – to take up a full-time position with the Pilgrims who play in the National League North, one division above the Evo-Stik Premier Ducks.

Shaw Lane immediately returned to the club they signed Elliott from in 2014, Ossett Town, but a move for their manager Grant Black fell through and the Ducks advertised the job on Wednesday. They are hoping to draw up a shortlist today with interviews set to take place over the weekend while the intention is to have a new man in place for their game at Nantwich on November 25.

Neil Austin, the former Barnsley defender who now plays for Shaw Lane, and captain Ryan Qualter are currently the joint caretaker managers. They have been helped by director of football Doug O'Connor, who secured the first two of the Ducks' five promotions in the last six years, as well as John Reed who was Elliott's assistant.

The caretakers secured a Sheffield Senior Cup win against Handsworth Parramore on Monday and will again be in charge for tomorrow's match at home to Stourbridge, their promotion rivals. Shaw Lane are fourth in the table but they are three points off top with two games in hand on leaders Altrincham and second-placed Warrington while they have played three fewer games than third-placed Grantham Town. 

Owner and chairman Craig Wood told the Chronicle: "It's a pivotal point in the season with some really big games coming up against the other teams near the top of the league. I believe this squad is capable of getting promoted so we want to get the right man in to achieve that. We had one target which fell through and now we're looking at other options."

Elliott was appointed in February 2014 after leaving Ossett Town and won 129 of his 189 matches, while leading the Ducks to three promotions in four seasons as well as the Sheffield Senior Cup. He ended his reign with a winless run of six matches, including the FA Cup first round defeat to League Two Mansfield Town on BT Sport on November 4 as well as Saturday's 0-0 draw in the Evo-Stik Premier Division at second-bottom Halesowen Town.

A fee has been agreed between the two clubs while Boston have also agreed that they cannot sign any Shaw Lane players for the remainder of this season.Elliott's coach Daz Smith has also moved to the Lincolnshire club, who once reached as high as League Two before plunging back down into non-league football and are now second bottom in the National League North. The 38-year-old's new position with Boston is full-time so he is in the process of leaving his job as a schoolteacher.

Elliott told the Chronicle: "It was a tough decision to make and I needed three days to think about it after I was approached. It's been a great four years at Shaw Lane and I have made friends for life. It's hard to walk away from a club with such a good story and so many promotions but there were always a handful of clubs who I would have considered moving to and Boston was one of them with their history and fanbase. It was an offer I couldn't refuse.

"It's the right thing to do for me and my family. These opportunities don't come around very often and I would always have regretted not taking it. People will think I am mad to swap a promotion challenge for a relegation fight but they probably said that when I dropped down two divisions to take over at Shaw Lane and that worked out well.

"I am proud of where I have left Shaw Lane and I wish the club well. I hope they can get another promotion this season and maybe I will come up against them for Boston next season."

Owner Wood added: "I didn't know anything about it until Craig came to see me after our game at Halesowen on Saturday. Then it was all confirmed on Sunday. He said he had an offer he couldn't turn down. I will never stand in anybody's way and I can't fault Craig's effort and achievements for the club. I wish him all the best for the future.

"But I feel he had unfinished business with us and the sensible thing would have been to try to get us promoted this season, then he would have had his pick of clubs."We're not happy to have lost him but the club is always bigger than just one man."

Against Handsworth on Monday, Chib Chilaka's brace put the Ducks 2-0 up at half-time then, after the visitors pulled one back, Lee Bennett secured the win for Shaw Lane who will now face Wombwell Main in the next round.