Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne will not be joining Exeter City - as a player or on the coaching staff - reports BBC Radio Devon.

Gascoigne had applied for the post but the prospective partnership has not materialised with a meeting between the two parties on Thursday being cancelled.

"We will now be exploring other avenues," said club chairman John Russell.

But Exeter do not seem short of candidates for the post.

Russell added "There are a couple of former Premiership managers in there and all sorts of other interesting applicants.

"We have had 61 enquiries about the vacant manager's post and we will now be honing them down to 17 good applicants.

"It's going to be a tough job but we want to start interviewing people [on Friday] if possible."

Former Derby County and Cambridge boss Roy McFarland has been linked with the job.

And Sheffield United assistant boss Kevin Blackwell says he has had no contact with Exeter City but hinted he may be willing to listen to offers concerning the managerial vacancy.

"It's always nice to be recognised, but I haven't spoken to them yet," he said.

"I'm very happy where I am, but at the end of the day you've got to look at your own future. We'll see how it goes."