Cooper, 40, will take charge of the Poppies' Blue Square Premier fixture with Cambridge on Saturday before being appointed Posh boss on a three-and-a-half-year contract.

Fry told the Peterborough Evening Telegraph: "Mark Cooper has agreed in principle to become our new manager.

"We have done everything by the book and were going to make a statement at 5pm after Kettering's game.

"Mark will sign a three-and-a-half year deal when he comes to the club on Sunday before meeting the players.

"He will then start on Monday just as we have planned. He is a young, hungry manager who I am personally delighted to have on board."

Chairman Darragh MacAnthony interviewed a short-list of candidates this week but moved for Cooper after agreeing a compensation package with Kettering chairman Imraan Ladak.

Cooper leaves the non-league side just a fortnight before they host Leeds in a televised FA Cup second-round tie and will take charge of his first game at Sheffield United next Saturday.

He replaces Darren Ferguson, who led the Cambridgeshire club to successive promotions before departing the club by mutual consent on Tuesday.

Fry stated in a press conference on Wednesday that he believed the son of Manchester United manager Sir Alex already had a new job lined up, claims Ferguson insisted were "100% untrue."

Cooper has guided Kettering to third place in the Blue Square Premier and they beat League One Hartlepool in last weekend's FA Cup first round.

However he has no managerial experience in league football and his appointment would represent a gamble by MacAnthony.

MacAnthony said earlier this week that he was after a young manager who could sort out the club's defensive problems.

He said: "The criteria is someone who can lead us to a top-12 finish and who can sort us out defensively.

"If we get it right at the back then we can have a hell of a season."