Chris Powell is the new front-runner with bookmakers to become Huddersfield Town manager.

The former Charlton boss has leapt ahead of Alex McLeish in the latest Skybet market and is now rated odds-on at 1/2 to take the John Smith’s Stadium hot seat.

There has been a flood of money for Powell in the last 24 hours, with McLeish now at 5/2 second favourite after being 1/4 only yesterday.

Powell, 44, had a playing career spanning almost 700 games – playing mostly for Southend United and Charlton Athletic – and he won five England caps as a left-back.

He finished playing at Leicester City in 2010 and, the following year, was appointed manager at The Valley (Charlton are Saturday’s visitors to the John Smith’s in the Championship).

In 2011-12 he led them to promotion from League I and, the following campaign, guided them to a ninth-place finish. He parted company with Charlton in March this year and remains well respected in the game.