Wolves deny link with Darren Ferguson

Wolves today reacted with shock after bookmakers stopped taking bets on Darren Ferguson to be their next manager.

It has been reported that some High Street bookies have stopped the betting on the Peterborough manager replacing Terry Connor in the Molineux hot-seat this summer after Ferguson's odds were slashed from 5-1 to as little as 5-4 yesterday.

But the 40-year-old, who led Posh to an 18th-placed finish in his second spell at London Road, isn't even on the club's list of potential candidates and it is understood no interviews have taken place for the post.

Wolves are looking closely at Championship managers as they try to plot the quickest route back to the Premier League next season and insist any decision won't be taken until after May 19 – the date of the play-off final. The club do not want to comment publicly on their search but sources say 40-year-old Ferguson, who made 149 appearances for

Wolves under Graham Turner, Graham Taylor, Mark McGhee and Colin Lee at Molineux from 1994-99, hasn't got enough managerial experience to be considered for the post yet and wrote the rumours off as "nonsense".

Wolves are taking their time to try to make the right appointment and want to get the season out of the way before starting the process in earnest.

They will first sit down with Connor and get his thoughts in a full review after Sunday's final game at Wigan.