Southport will arrive at The Hive on Saturday afternoon ready to begin a new era under the stewardship of Paul Carden after he stepped up to replace Everton-bound Gary Brabin.

Brabin only returned to Haig Avenue in October to succeed the sacked Martin Foyle but on Tuesday left the Merseyside outfit after accepting the offer to join Premier League side Everton in a coaching capacity.

Chairman Charlie Clapham told the club’s website: “We gave Gary a manager’s post after a couple of years out of the game. It is a compliment to both Gary and Southport FC that Everton want our manager for such a prestigious role.

“It's Gary's lifelong ambition to be part of Everton Football Club and sometimes in life things happen when you are not expecting them to.

“I would not want to stop Gary achieving his ambition and genuinely wish him all the best. Gary made an immediate impact here and I want to thank him for that and our FA Cup run culminating at Derby County.

“Paul Carden now has the task of building on Gary's foundations over the last four months and getting us to a safe position as quickly as possible.”

Thirty-five-year-old Carden made his named with Cambridge United, making 121 appearances for the U’s across three spells with the club in a playing career which spanned 17 years and more than 400 senior league appearances.

Carden and Brabin first met at Cambridge, where Carden was player-assistant to the former Luton Town boss.

He later filled in as caretaker following Brabin’s departure and the duo linked up again at Kenilworth Road in 2011, with the veteran midfielder joining the Hatters on loan from Cambridge. He remained with Town in a coaching capacity until January 2013 before moving to Southport.

Assisting Carden will be former Bristol City and Cambridge United midfielder Alex Russell, whose appointment was confirmed yesterday (Thursday).

And the new Port boss told the club’s website: “It is great news for me, the squad and the club that Alex has agreed to join us at such short notice.

“Alex, like me, is a young coach with lots of energy and he has an excellent knowledge of north west football. We both see huge potential at Southport Football Club and are excited about the job ahead.”

The last act of Brabin’s brief tenure as Port boss was to sign Shrewsbury Town winger James Caton on loan.

Caton becomes the second player to move to Haig Avenue on loan this season, with goalkeeper Callum Burton already at the club on a temporary basis from the Shrews.

The Port had been due to host Braintree Town on Wednesday but the game fell foul of the weather, with a frozen pitch causing the tie to be cancelled.

The Merseysiders head to Edgware having lost just four of their last 15 Conference fixtures, a run which has seen them move out of the relegation zone and up to 20th place – four points clear of the relegation zone and with as many as four games in hand on the sides occupying those four places.

Southport XI v Chester (17.1.15): Burton; Parry, Foster, Collins, Fitzpatrick; Kay, George; Rutherford, Joyce, Bakayoko; Hattersley.