The Irons have vowed to have their new boss in place by the end of the month as they look to bounce back from the npower Championship at the first attempt.

The axe was finally wielded on Avram Grant - only appointed during the summer - after relegation from the Barclays Premier League was confirmed on Sunday after they squandered a 2-0 lead at fellow strugglers Wigan to lose 3-2.

Former England manager Steve McClaren has already ruled himself out of the running, as did Brighton manager Gus Poyet yesterday afternoon.

While Martin O'Neill is understood to be high on the wanted list again, having been offered and turned down the job during January, co-owner David Sullivan revealed the board hoped to attract someone with the club already ingrained in their psyche.

"We will wait to see who applies and wait to see what happens generally, but it will be resolved within two weeks, I should think," Sullivan said.

"I think we will definitely get an English manager, or a British manager.

"We do need someone who understands the culture and if you get someone with a knowledge of the East End that is so much better."

Hughton, 52, guided Newcastle straight back up and to mid-table in the Premier League before his untimely axe at St James Park earlier this season, and is well respected at Upton Park after the Stratford-born defender enjoyed a two-year spell there in the early 1990s.

Watford manager Malky Mackay is another expected to be in the frame, having helped the Irons win promotion to the top flight via the play-offs in 2005.

Former Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has also been touted, but like O'Neill it remains doubtful if he could be sold on a move outside the Premier League.

Neil Warnock and Paul Lambert already have top-flight football ahead with Queen's Park Rangers and Norwich next season, so it is unlikely either would jump at the chance to oversee one more campaign battling to get out of the Championship - and at a club burden by a multi-million pound debt.

West Ham's desire to move for a British manager would seem to have ruled out former Chelsea midfielder Roberto di Matteo, the ex-West Brom manager as well as Poyet, who has just taken Brighton up from League One as champions.

The 43-year-old Uruguayan said: "I can promise I will never apply for a job during my time at another club, especially at a club like Brighton where I'm so happy to be."

Paulo di Canio, meanwhile, achieved cult status during a four-year spell with the Irons from 1999 to 2003 and has a lounge named after him at Upton Park.

The Italian's appointment would certainly be a popular move with supporters. However, Sullivan added: "My heart would say Paolo and the fans would say Paolo - but with someone who is a complete novice as a manager, with no experience, you just can't go with it."

Whoever eventually takes over at Upton Park is likely to face a massive rebuilding job, with England internationals Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Carlton Cole and Scott Parker, the Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year, all set to leave.