Next Fulham Manager: Bolton boss left with final vote

Who wouldn't want to work at a ground as gorgeous as Craven Cottage?

A triumph over Dougie Freedman's Bolton will reportedly be enough to earn Kit Symons the Fulham job...

Whereas a caretaker manager usually requires a sequence of positive results to put themselves in contention for a longer-term role, a significant section of the Fulham fanbase supported Kit Symons' candidacy from the minute that Felix Magath was sacked, if not before.

His work with the club's academy, helping to bring through the likes of Marcus Bettinelli, Dan Burn, Emerson Hyndman and Cauley Woodrow, combined with a powerful first press conference in which he declared that "no-one understands the fabric of this club better than me" curried instant favour.

Handily, results have increased the optimism surrounding Symons. After a disappointing start - a 0-1 home defeat to Blackburn excused by Shaun Hutchinson's red card when it was 0-0 - they overcame Doncaster in the Capital One Cup and claimed a first Championship victory away to Birmingham.

There has been speculation that the job will be his permanently if that win is followed up by another when Bolton visit Craven Cottage on Wednesday. With Dougie Freedman's men just one point and place better off having been beaten in all four away matches, Fulham are worthy favourites at 1.981/1.

Hinting that there is truth to talk that there will be a correlation between the outcome of that fixture and the Cottagers' manager search, Symons is only a shade larger than that to be hired on a full-time basis at 2.245/4, a bet that also pays out if his interim stint stretches to ten Championship games.

None of the alternatives are compelling enough to make picking the former Wales international over them seem foolish. 5.04/1 second favourite Chris Hughton wasn't popular at Norwich, Neil Lennon would appear a decent option at 7.06/1 but hasn't attracted much attention and 11.010/1 shot Alan Pardew remains employed by Newcastle despite incessant chatter about his bleak prospects.

Regardless of whether it is Symons or someone else, achieving an instant return to the Premier League is destined to prove mighty difficult with just four points on board after nine matches - they are 12 points off the play-offs already and out to 11.010/1 for promotion.