Ronnie Moore says he would be "honoured" to become Darlington's next manager after becoming the bookies' favourite for the job.

Quakers chairman Raj Singh is looking to fill the vacancy created by Mark Cooper's departure at the beginning of last week, but he has so far been unable to make an appointment.

Talks with Middlesbrough coach Colin Cooper collapsed, while caretaker manager Craig Liddle said he does not expect to be offered the job after losing Tuesday's FA Cup tie 3-0 at Hinckley United.

The match was a replay after the sides drew 1-1 at The Northern Echo Arena last Saturday, a game Moore watched, having submitted his CV to Singh days earlier.

He is available after leaving League Two Rotherham United in March, when they were five points off the automatic promotion places, but the 58-year-old is keen to return to work and believes an experienced head is required.

"You really want someone in there who is going to crack the whip. Let's get that belief, let's get that desire and say to players 'if you don't want to be here then off you go' and we'll get players in who have that hunger and desire, players who love playing football.

"You need that hunger burning in your stomach and if you haven't got that as a footballer then you want locking up.

"I think Darlo need someone in there. It's alright me saying this because I'm experienced, but at the stage they're at they need a bit of guidance.

"Craig Liddle has done a great job in bringing some kids through the youth set-up, but there's an awful lot of difference between the kids and the first team, and he would tell you the same.

"I'm not telling people how to suck eggs. But I've still got desire, I've still got hunger, and I would work my socks off, being at games every night looking for players. I've got good contacts and I know all the managers in the North-East really well. So it doesn't have to be a local boy because I've got contacts from all over the divisions."

Colin Cooper and Singh were unable to reach an agreement, and Moore added: "One minute Colin Cooper was in there and then he wasn't, so I don't know what's happened there, but it's probably a case of the sooner they make an appointment the better.

"I would say Tuesday's result has been a shock to everybody - nobody would have expected that outcome.

"I would be honoured to do the job, to be honest.

"I can see what's going on there and it must be hard for the chairman at this present time. I've never met the guy and, without wishing to blow smoke up his backside, it takes a lot of courage to put money into a club, especially when you go out of the league."

Moore saw some positives in Darlington's performance last weekend, but he is yet to speak to Singh.

"My CV has been sent in, but I have not heard a thing from the football club.

"I didn't get an invite to last Saturday's game, I came to the game myself because I wanted to have a look and see what the players are like.

"There were 1,100 there in that huge stadium and it's a crying shame because it's a fantastic set-up.

"I thought they played well, but they played the ball a little bit too much, too many square passes. It's nice to keep the ball, but you have to pass it to the front players too.

"They just needed a conductor in there, someone to say 'right, let's have a good spell of pressure and really get at them here'.

"They've got some good players though and there's potential there, no doubt about that, and that's probably why the chairman has well over 50 people wanting the job.

"The big centre-half I liked, Greg Taylor, he looked a good player. He looked too good to be a centre-half, he looked like he could play centre-midfield because he was good on the ball.

"But I could see one or two were lacking in confidence. Darlington got the first goal and it should have been the lift they needed.

"But they conceded a nothing goal and it looks to me as though the club is very low on confidence, they've lost their belief.

"They need to get that back, not just the players but the crowd as well.

"The players looked as though they needed an arm around them. After losing on Tuesday some of the fans probably thought they needed a size ten, but you can't keep flogging a dead horse."

Former Darlington striker Alan Walsh also remains interested in the role and he watched Tuesday's game at Hinckley.

Quakers' youth team, meanwhile, continue to enjoy contrasting fortunes to the first-team as they won 7-1 last night at the Arena against Sheffield in the FA Youth Cup.

Goals came from Danny Lambert, David Ferguson, Chris Dickinson (2), Anthony Bell, Tom Robson and Tom Bott.

A day after being in the doug-out at Hinckley, Liddle was in charge for what was a sixth successive win. On Saturday, the youth team play Hartlepool United in a league cup tie.