Leeds United legend Gary McAllister has emerged as the favourite to land the vacant managers position at Elland Road.

The former Scotland international, who played for the Yorkshire club from 1990 to 1996 and managed them for fifty matches in 2008, has been out of work since leaving his position as caretaker manager at Aston Villa three years ago.

Leeds parted company with Brian McDermott last week, and former Middlesbrough defender Gianluca Festa had been expected to take charge due to his links with new owner Massimo Cellino.

The Italian worked at Calgari under Cellino for two years, and can be backed at 4.0 (3/1) with a variety of firms to be brought in by his former employer once more though McAllister is just ahead of him in the market at 3.5 (5/2) with Coral.

Former Forest Green Rovers boss Dave Hockiday is at surprisingly short odds with the bookmakers with Bet Victor offering 5.0 (4/1) for him to be appointed, with out-of-work Chris Hughton a 5.5 (11/2) chance with Paddy Power.

Hughton guided Newcastle United to the Championship title in 2010, and has also managed Birmingham City at that level before taking charge at Norwich City in the summer of 2012, though he was dismissed towards the end of the 2013/14 campaign with the club one place and five points ahead of the Premier League relegation zone.

Massimo Allegri who, like Festa, worked under Cellino at Calgari was relieved from his position as AC Milan manager in January 2014 and is 9.0 (8/1) with William Hill to take charge at Elland Road while other names in the running are current Leeds first team coach Neil Redfearn at 13.0 (12/1) with a variety of firms and McDermott’s former assistant Nigel Gibbs at 26.0 (25/1) with Paddy Power, who price Chelsea trio Gianfranco Zola, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Roberto Di Matteo each at 34.0 (33/1).

Leeds are priced at 29.0 (28/1) with Bet 365 to win the Championship next season, with the same firm offering odds of 10.0 (9/1) to win promotion by any means while Sky Bet have them at 6.0 (5/1) to be relegated to League One.