Port Vale have appointed Darrell Clarke as their new manager.
Clarke has left old rivals Walsall to join the Vale - and arrives a week after David Flitcroft's appointment as director of football.
The club confirmed the news this afternoon.
"Port Vale is delighted to announce the appointment of Darrell Clarke as Manager.
"He will immediately take charge of First Team affairs – working with the support of Danny Pugh.
"Darrell, 42, brings with him a wealth of experience in football – having spent more than 25 years in the game as a player, coach and manager.
"He was the manager at Salisbury City, Bristol Rovers and Walsall where he clocked up 479 games with an average win percentage of more than 44.5 per cent.
"Darrell guided Salisbury to two promotions and also led Bristol Rovers to two promotions to League Two and then League One in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. After leaving Rovers in December 2018 he has guided Walsall to 11 th place in League Two.
"During his time in management, Darrell has a proven track record of developing young players.
"He has signed an initial deal which will keep him at Port Vale until the summer of 2024.
"Port Vale co-owner and Chair Carol Shanahan OBE said: “We are over the moon to have been able to bring in a Manager of Darrell’s calibre. He has such an impressive CV and his pursuit for excellence and thirst for success matches exactly our ambitions for Port Vale.”
