FOREST GREEN boss Mark Cooper has emerged as a contender to replace Paul Heckingbottom at Barnsley.

Yorkshire-born Cooper was previously earmarked by The Tykes during his time at Swindon Town, where he was 90 minutes from taking the Wiltshire club into the Championship.

He isn’t the only name in the frame, with Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy 8/1 to become the next boss. Gary Monk, Simon Grayson and Danny Cowley are among the early favourites.

Heckingbottom, 40, who joined Leeds United as head coach this week, signed Ethan Pinnock from Forest Green in the summer, having been discovered by Cooper at non-league Dulwich Hamlet.

Cooper joined Forest Green from Notts County in 2017, steering Rovers to the Football League in his first season, beating Tranmere Rovers at Wembley in the National League Promotion-final.

Despite a sticky start to life in League Two, Rovers climbed out of the relegation zone last weekend, beating promotion-chasing Coventry City 2-1, Rovers’ third-straight home win.