Russel Bromage has been offered the chance to replace Ian Chapman as manager at Whitehawk.

The Hawks have acted to quickly to offer the position to Bromage after Chapman was appointed full-time reserve team coach with Albion.

Chapman had been combining both positions since last October but stepped down at East Brighton Park last Thursday when his short-term deal with the Seagulls was confirmed as a permanent arrangement.

Bromage, a former Albion player, was Chapman's assistant-manager at Whitehawk, helping them last season to the quarter-finals of the FA Vase, runners-up in the County League and to the Sussex RUR Cup final where they lost to Chichester.

Whitehawk chairman Wally Sweetman is keen for Bromage, 47, to continue the good work Chapman started.

He said: "I have asked Russel if he would take it on and we will sit down this week.

"I have offered the job to him but I know he has other things going on. Russel is involved as a (football) coach with a company. It takes him away at certain times of the season and we need to sure it won't conflict things. We both need to be happy with the arrangement.

"But let's put it this way, I haven't offered the job to anyone else. We don't want to change anything. All the players are willing to stay and keep going what Ian set up.

"I'm pretty confident we will end up with Russel at the helm."

Sweetman enjoyed a good working relationship with Chapman during his six years at the helm at East Brighton Park and praised his departing manager for the job he did.

He said: "Ian has done a great job for the club. It has put us back on the footballing map in Sussex. He will still keep in contact with us. He won't be involved with the footballing side but I am sure he will pop along when he can."

Sweetman also praised Chapman for not leaving Hawks in the lurch when Albion offered him a coaching role until the end of the season.

He said: "Ian didn't want to walk out on us. When he was offered the Brighton job he took it on the condition he could do the Whitehawk job as well.

"The good thing about is is Ian hasn't spent a load of money and tried to get players for the wrong reasons. He has improved players by working hard with him. We would have loved to have won a trophy for him this season but it wasn't to be."