Whitehaven have put four of their senior players in charge of first-team matters following the departure of head coach James Coyle.
Dave Allen, Scott McAvoy, Craig Calvert and Carl Foster will form a collective leadership role for the final five games of the season as the Cumbrian club aim to avoid relegation to Kingstone Press League One.
Coyle was sacked earlier this week after a 10-game winless run saw them move to the bottom of the Championship, four points from safety.
The quartet will take charge of training on Saturday and lead the side for Sunday’s mammoth Cumbria derby against fellow strugglers, Workington.
A club statement said: “There was a very positive meeting last night with the team and all concerned and everybody realises the importance of this next game and the ones that will follow. We have a lifeline remaining and we have to grab it with all we have.”