Port Vale next manager: Three-time League One promotion winner installed as favourite for job

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League One’s bottom club were trounced 5-0 away at Huddersfield Town on Boxing Day, and that was deemed as the final straw by the hierarchy at Vale Park.Moore has been under pressure for several weeks at Port Vale as their return to the third tier simply hasn’t gone to plan.The former Sheffield Wednesday boss led the Burslem outfit to automatic promotion from League Two last season, but they have won just three league games since the start of the season. The last of those victories came at the end of September, and they are now on the hunt for a new boss after finally losing patience with Moore.🚨BREAKING🚨#PVFC confirm the departure of manager Darren Moore.Vale are 11 league games without a win and 10 points adrift of safety at the bottom of League One.Thoughts on this Vale fans? pic.twitter.com/bq38RvDPON— BBC Radio Stoke Sport (@BBCStokeSport) December 28, 2025 View Tweet Darren Ferguson early favourite to take over at Port ValeDarren Ferguson has been out of work since Peterborough United showed him the door at the end of October, but that could be about to change following Vale’s decision to end Moore’s tenure.

He has been briefly linked with the Barrow job in recent weeks, but his name has now emerged as the early favourite to take the reins at Port Vale. One major bookie has installed Ferguson as the 6/4 favourite to take Moore’s old job, as he currently leads the way from several familiar faces in League One.

Darren Ferguson’s record makes him ideal candidate for 2026-27Port Vale have been way off the pace in League One this season, and that has left them in what is surely an irreparable position at the 21-game mark of the campaign. Nothing but promotion would be acceptable in the fourth tier for the Midlands outfit, and the Scot is an expert at delivering that.He led Peterborough to promotion from League One three times earlier in his career, and he has also achieved the same feat twice at League Two level, throw in three EFL Trophy triumphs, and he is undoubtedly one of the most decorated EFL managers of his generation.