The top five contenders for the Port Vale managerial role

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Paul Dickov

According to Stoke-on-Trent newspaper The Sentinel, the other of Smurthwaite’s big three candidates have been identified as former Stoke City boss Brian Little and the ex-Oldham and Doncaster Rovers manager Paul Dickov.

Analysing the chairman’s comments, Little is more than likely the candidate who would have had the experience akin to that of Micky Adams. He has been at a host of clubs including Wolves, Leicester City, West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa and Vale’s Potteries rivals Stoke City. He has also achieved back-to-back promotions with Darlington, taking them from the Conference National to the then Third Division (now League One) in 1990 and 1991, as well as guiding Leicester to three playoff campaigns, winning one, the First Division playoff final (now League One) in 1994.

He also has a major trophy on his CV having won the League Cup with Aston Villa in 1996. Not quite Mourinho hype, but a man with vast managerial experience and a reliable head to guide the club having knowledge of the division. Something which could count for Little as opposed to a foreign coach like Morais.

Meanwhile, Dickov’s managerial experience is comparatively limited. The Scot enjoyed a distinguished playing career but his five years of managerial experience have all been in League One and also, briefly, the Championship. He has no promotions or trophies with regards to his managerial repertoire, the two clubs he has managed being Oldham Athletic and Doncaster Rovers.

He oversaw South Yorkshire outfit Doncaster’s relegation from the Championship in his most recent stint as a coach and was struck with the sack after a poor start to their League One campaign in 2015-16, which would eventually culminate in Rovers’ relegation to League Two.

At Oldham, Dickov fared better, successfully keeping the club in League One under tight financial constraints, and guiding the club to their historic 3-2 FA Cup triumph over Liverpool in 2012-13. He would later resign due to the club’s poor league form. Overall, with little experience and mixed success, Dickov would be a gamble for Smurthwaite, but a manager such as this often needs a springboard to jumpstart their career, and there is no reason why Port Vale couldn’t be that, especially with money freed up in the budget for Dickov to put together his own squad and stamp his philosophy on the club.