BLACKBURN Rovers will continue to interview candidates for the vacant Ewood Park hotseat over the weekend.

And one of the first jobs the new Rovers boss will have to do is finalise the futures of players who are out contract.

Goalkeeper Simon Eastwood, defenders Tommy Spurr and Matt Kilgallon, midfielders Lee Williamson and Chris Taylor, and strikers Simeon Jackson, Chris Brown and Nathan Delfouneso will be free agents in the summer.

Rovers yesterday confirmed that all eight players will be free to talk to and sign for other clubs at the expiration of their contracts on June 30.

But the club also stated that ‘several players have been informed that final decisions over their futures will be made once a new manager has been appointed’.

It is understood that Rovers are keen to tie Spurr – their only recognised left-back – down to a new deal.

However nothing will be decided until Paul Lambert’s successor is named.

It is also understood that centre-back Kilgallon is one of the players who has been told he could yet be handed fresh terms.

The 32-year-old said toward the end of the season: “Whatever will happen, will happen.

“Probably when I was younger I’d have been on to them every day but as you get a bit older – I still want to play on, I still love the game – but I’m a bit more chilled out about it.

“Hopefully something will happen for me. If they want me, yes, I’d like to stay. It’s a good club for me. I get along with the lads. It’s a good club.”

Former Rotherham United, QPR and Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock remains the bookies’ favourite to be named the new Rovers boss.

But the 67-year-old, who wants to win a record-breaking eighth promotion next season, yesterday insisted he was not on the verge of taking over from Lambert.

Warnock told Sky Sports News: “I haven’t got an offer on the table. I did just genuinely think it was the right time (to leave Rotherham). The chairman was brilliant and he understood my reasons.

“I think Rotherham has to have two to three years of establishing, trying to keep in the Championship and get the infrastructure right.

“Then I think they can dream and have a go. At the moment I don’t have that time. If I was 10 years younger I possibly would have done that. I want to try and get a challenge where I could get into it straight away and take them up to the Premier League.

“Nobody has got eight promotions; that was a big thing with me and the chairman. I’ve only got seven and I’ve only got one year left. I’m just desperate to get that eighth promotion if possible.”

Rovers announced on Thursday that they will be interviewing four candidates for the post.

It is understood that former Rotherham and Leeds United boss Neil Redfearn, as well as Russell Slade, who is looking to return to frontline management after being moved to a head of football role at Cardiff City, are among the four.

But Rochdale boss and former Rovers defender Keith Hill has not been granted an interview.

Hibs manager Alan Stubbs, whose side take on Rangers in today’s Scottish Cup final, has also been strongly linked with the job.