Liverpool Chief Executive FC Rick Parry calls for a new-look FA

Outspoken Chelsea chairman Ken Bates has already put his name forward as an interim successor to guide the FA through a difficult 18-month period of change.

But it seems far more likely that Wiseman's eventual successor, to be chosen by the FA's full council at their annual meeting in June, will come from three men - unless an outside candidate appears from nowhere.

All three have so far declined to make their future intentions clear but they were content to detail what qualities the successful new chairman will need.

Geoff Thompson

Given that he was the wicketkeeper for his local village cricket side until last year, Thompson is rather aptly portrayed as a "safe pair of hands".

Geoff Thompson: 'A safe pair of hands'

The representative for the Sheffield and Hallamshire FA stood for power last time around only to lose out to Wiseman and be voted in as deputy chairman, leading to his current role as caretaker chairman.

Thompson, 52, a Justice of the Peace who has been on the FA council for 20 years and is head of the disciplinary committee, is likely to win support from the amateur side of the game, which makes up more than half of the full council.

He said: "The new chairman will need integrity, leadership and vision.

"He'll need to understand the whole of the game, be prepared to take the FA forward and be able to convince council members that there needs to be change if we are to move into the 21st century.

"We need a more businesslike approach to the commercial side of the game but in respect of the football side I think there's very little wrong with the way we operate."

David Sheepshanks

Seen as Thompson's main rival, the Ipswich supremo clearly displayed his capabilities as a forceful figure with the Football League, where he was chairman until earlier this year.

Sheepshanks, 46, an Old Etonian whose money comes from the family food business, is the consummate negotiator and diplomat.

His greatest achievement at the League - demonstrating his ability to wheel and deal in Europe - was to persuade UEFA to safeguard a European place for the winners of the Worthington Cup.

He said: "I agree with all that Geoff Thompson has said. There is certainly a need for business management skills and our greatest challenge is to balance the needs of the professional and amateur games.

"Above all, it's important that the chairman has the game of football running through his veins."

Dave Richards

The Sheffield Wednesday chairman also competed for the post which Wiseman won last time around and is Sheepshanks' main competitor for the votes from the representatives of the professional game on the council.

Rather than splitting votes, he believes that the professional game will come up with its own candidate and both men are likely to gain more support than another potential chairman, David Dein of Arsenal.

Richards said: "The chairman must have vision and leadership and be able to communicate with the media.