Martin Hinshelwood's first job as manager of Albion will be to find a strike partner for Bobby Zamora.

The 49-year-old leads Albion into action for the first time at Worthing on Tuesday following his appointment as Peter Taylor's successor.

One of his first tasks will be to strengthen a squad which has been stripped to the bare bones by departures and injuries.

A striker will be the priority because teenagers Chris McPhee and Danny Marney are the only fit frontmen currently on Albion's books.

Hinshelwood, who will have Bob Booker as his No. 2, is a popular choice to fill the void created 11 weeks ago by the sudden departure of Second Division championship-winning manager Taylor.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp told us on Saturday that Hinshelwood would be a good appointment and those thoughts will be echoed by many in the game.

The former Crystal Palace midfielder has spent more than ten years in two spells with Albion, taking on a variety of roles including three one-match stints as caretaker manager.

Hinshelwood, who played and coached in the First Division, moves across from his role as director of youth where, along with Dean Wilkins, he had revitalised the youth policy.

The son of Wally, a former Reading and Bristol City right winger, Martin was raised in Kent and taken on as an apprentice by Crystal Palace in 1969, signing as a professional a year later.

His best season was in 1975-76 when he played 28 times in midfield as Palace just missed out on promotion to Division Two, along with Albion.

However, after just 69 League games, he was forced to retire from professional football in 1979 at the age of 27 following a severe knee injury.

His first job in coaching was at Selhurst Park and he then took over as player-manager of Isthmian League side Leatherhead.

After two years as reserve team coach at Chelsea, Hinshelwood arrived at The Goldstone in 1987 as chief coach under Barry Lloyd and played a major part as Albion gained promotion to the old Second Division a year later.

He took charge for one match, a 2-2 draw at Hartlepool, following Lloyd's departure in 1993 but left the club when Liam Brady decided to bring in his own men.

After a spell as youth team coach at Portsmouth, Hinshelwood returned as director of youth in 1998.