YORK City assistant manager Steve Torpey believes his former Scunthorpe United team-mate Russ Wilcox is the right choice to guide the club away from Sky Bet League Two's lower reaches.

Torpey, who played alongside and under Wilcox when he was a coach at Glanford Park, reckons the new Minstermen chief will quickly stamp his authority on his inherited squad.

That process will starting with this afternoon's home match against Shrewsbury and Torpey said: "Russ was my assistant manager at Scunthorpe and I've bumped into him a few times since watching games and at conferences. We've kept in touch over the years and I've watched Scunthorpe's progress.

"He's his own man and knows what he wants and will try and deliver that with the group of players. He will put his mark on the team most definitely.

"He's had experience working with good managers at a higher level and he will have picked up a lot of information, including ways and means of getting results short-term and long-term. Initially, he will want to make an impact to try and get the club more points to bring some stability and move us up the table."

Wilcox had been coaching for a year when Torpey signed for Scunthorpe in 2000 and, back then, the former Iron centre forward spotted signs that the player/assistant manager had the potential to step up to the top job.

"I had four seasons under Russ and Brian Laws before they went to Sheffield Wednesday," Torpey recalled. "He worked under the leadership and guidance of Brian and you could see he was a future manager in the long-term."

Torpey also added that he watched on in admiration last season as Wilcox went 28 games unbeaten to secure promotion to League One.

"I was keeping my eye on it and what he did at the start of his first managerial job was outstanding and absolutely fantastic," he reasoned. "I know him as a person and know we will get on well.

"I know his man-management skills are very good and he gets the best out of his players."

Torpey was brought into the first-team fold by Wilcox's predecessor Nigel Worthington 19 months ago, having previously worked with the club's junior players.

He confessed he was surprised and saddened by Worthington's resignation but grateful for the education he received under the former international and Premier League chief.

Revisiting the chain of events that following last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Newport, Torpey revealed: "It was a bit quiet on the coach on the way back but you sometimes get that after a defeat and he got off and said he would speak to me the next day, which we always did to touch base and go through the game.

"I then got the call a bit earlier than normal on Sunday and he told me that he had thought long and hard and decided to resign, which was a shock. I told him to have some time to think about it, but he said he'd done that and he's a man who stands by his word, so there was no changing his mind.

"I was bitterly disappointed because he was a great guy to work for and I learnt a hell of a lot from him. His man-management skills and manner with the players was excellent, as was his work ethic in terms of getting the best out of players, but things move on in football."

With the team having failed to net in six of their last nine fixtures, Torpey reckons addressing matters at the top end of the pitch will be the key to improving the Minstermen's league position - a quest that will be helped by the return to fitness of attacking quintet Michael Coulson, Wes Fletcher, Josh Carson, Jake Hyde and Ryan Jarvis.

"We need to try and get a fully-fit squad first and foremost," Torpey argued. "When we get clear of those injuries and we have more choice in certain areas, especially in the front line and midfield, we will be OK.

"That area is vital and will be the first port of call. We haven't scored enough goals or created enough chances.

"Defensively, we've been pretty sound over the last few games and we looked solid against Portsmouth and Newport up until half-time."

Torpey, himself, was among the bookmakers' favourites to succeed Worthington but insisted that was never on the agenda.

"I'm not quite ready yet," he admitted. "I don't know if there was an opportunity anyhow, but I didn't put myself forward.

"It maybe not for me long-term anyway but, if I did get the opportunity, I would want to be in the best possible situation to to take it on and I'm still a bit short on experience. I'm just looking forward to working closely with Russ and, hopefully, having a good partnership together."

City chairman Jason McGill, meanwhile, is delighted that Torpey will continue in his current role, adding: "Steve’s a great asset for York City Football Club. He’s been here for five years and is a straight-forward guy who you would go into the trenches with."