FORMER Walsall boss Ray Graydon is expected to be among the crowd at Bootham Crescent tonight after being installed as favourite to take charge of managerless Bristol Rovers.

Graydon was at the Memorial Ground on Saturday as the Pirates drew 1-1 with Hull City in their first game since last week's dismissal of Garry Thompson.

Youth coach Phil Bater has been placed in charge until the end of the season but Bater has made it clear he does not want the job permanently.

Sources in Gloucestershire say Graydon is hot favourite to take command and is likely to cast his eye over his future charges tonight.

Bater, like his counterpart Terry Dolan, could be tempted to give youth a chance tonight.

Northern Ireland Under-21 international Wayne Groves could return to the side on the right of midfield after serving a one-match suspension meaning Kevin Gall, who has been away on a training camp with Wales Under-21s, stepping down. Latvian skipper Andrejs Astajevs is definitely out after being called up by his country to take on Ecuador.

Updated: 12:10 Tuesday, April 16, 2002