[themaclad]

League One side Port Vale have announced the appointment of Andy Crosby as their new manager.

Crosby has been given the job after serving as interim manager following the sacking of Darrell Clarke.

The 50-year-old has been at Vale Park since 2021, when he was appointed to the staff by Clarke.

He previously coached Northern Ireland Under-21s and was assistant to Nigel Adkins at Scunthorpe, Southampton, Reading, Sheffield United and Hull.

Taking charge at the Valiants will hand Crosby his first senior management role, but he impressed when he stepped up to take charge in 2022 when Clarke took a three-month break after a family bereavement.

Crosby had a 52.9% win ratio in a season that ended with Port Vale being promoted through the League Two play-offs.

Clarke was sacked after a seven-match winless run that threatened to drop Vale into the League One relegation fight. Under Crosby, they won one and lost three of their last four games to finish four points above the drop zone.

Director of football David Flitcroft said of Crosby: "He has shown and proved in his time as assistant manager, acting manager, and in support of the manager that he has the qualities required to lead the football plan as we move forward in our next chapter of progression on and off the pitch.

"He is highly regarded and respected by the staff and players and we feel he is ready for this opportunity.

"With his work and commitment to the club, he has continually shown all the qualities required to be successful as a manager.

"We have built a football plan that will continue to see the club grow, progress and drive us forward in League One and beyond.

"Andy can deliver the short, medium and long-term objectives that we have set out. We have backroom coaching and medical teams in place that can instil the culture and standards of the club whilst we continue developing and improving results and players."

[themaclad]

Port Vale have sacked manager Andy Crosby after less than year in the job.

Vale have won just once in eight games to leave them 20th in League One, two points above the relegation zone - albeit with games in hand.

Assistant manager John Schofield will also leave his position.

Crosby joined Vale as Darrell Clarke's assistant in March 2021, twice taking over as interim boss before getting the job on a more permanent basis after Clarke was sacked in April 2023..

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Crosby had already taken over in a caretaker capacity when Clarke was off on compassionate leave - and led Vale out in the League Two play-off final at Wembley, where they beat Mansfield Town.

He also this season led Vale to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Middlesbrough in December - the furthest they had ever been in the competition.

Vale made five loan signings in the January transfer window, although one of them, Rhys Williams, had to return to parent club Liverpool because of injury - and he also lost his two main loan signings, Sheffield United's Oli Arblaster and Tottenham's Alfie Devine, who were both recalled.

But, in Saturday's first game since, they lost 3-0 at fellow strugglers Fleetwood, to leave them just two points clear of trouble.

It is all in stark contrast to the start of the season when they won five of their first seven games to go second in League One. But they have won just three times in 20 league matches since.

Vale have not yet said who will be in caretaker charge for Tuesday's home game against Leyton Orient - but they say "the search for a new manager has already begun".

Timing of the decision a 'surprise'
Analysis - BBC Radio Stoke's Vale reporter Phil Bowers

The biggest surprise is the timing of this announcement coming so soon after the transfer window, which only closed on Thursday night.

Anybody coming in will have to work with the squad at hand, which is a squad that we already know is light on centre-forwards and is light in other key areas.

And it has also been upset by injuries. Two key players in Uche Ikpeazu and Ben Garrity, the top scorer.

But it's the run of just three wins in 20 games that has done for Andy Crosby. It's very similar to the three wins in 19 games before Darrell Clarke went.