The top five contenders for the Port Vale managerial role

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John Coleman

Several names as to the other applicants have of course been doing the rounds, the most realistic of those being ex-Tranmere, Rotherham and Hartlepool boss, but also current Accrington Stanley manager, John Coleman and the currently unattached Ronnie Moore. Both of these would have the required know-how and experience to guide a club in the lower divisions with Moore a specialist in keeping teams up. His greatest escape was probably the miraculous salvaging job of Hartlepool United in 2015, saving them from the relegation trapdoor of the non-league abyss having taken over with the club ten points adrift of safety. He isn’t short of success on his CV either, having sensationally taken Rotherham from the fourth tier to what is now the Championship after back-to-back promotions in 1999-00 and 2000-01.

Coleman on the other hand is a specialist on operating with a tight budget. A quality which will more than likely be vital for the candidate Smurthwaite chooses to appoint, however his experience in divisions higher than the basement tier of the Football League is limited to a stint at Rochdale in 2012-13, when he oversaw their relegation back to League Two.

He can in that division however, build a team on a shoestring that is capable of challenging for promotion, taking Accringtion Stanley to the League Two playoffs twice, though both endeavours, in 2011 and 2016 respectively, would be doomed to failure. The most recent was most unfortunate, Stanley failing to beat Stevenage on the final day of the season and being pipped to third place and promotion to League One by Bristol Rovers.

Stanley would go on to lose the play-off semi-final to AFC Wimbledon. Experienced in the lower leagues, and yet a gamble, and with the club in need of an exciting appointment to reboot season ticket sales, the recruitment of Coleman or indeed Moore would prove underwhelming, but both would be capable in the job given their credentials.