League One strugglers Port Vale sack manager Darrell Clarke for poor performance

Port Vale have sacked manager Darrell Clarke following a poor run of form in League One.

Saturday’s 3-2 loss against Lincoln proved to be Clarke’s last in charge, with Vale having slipped to 18th in the table, only six points above the relegation zone.

A statement on the Vale website read: "Darrell deserves the utmost respect and appreciation from all at Port Vale for his contribution to the club’s progress since he was appointed in February 2021."

"However, performances and results have been below expectations since the turn of the year, with just two wins in our 18 League One fixtures since New Year’s Day and an alarming trend in performances in recent weeks."

Clarke, formerly manager at Bristol Rovers and Walsall, took over with Vale in danger of dropping out of the Football League but led them to League Two safety before securing promotion through the play-offs last season.

Andy Crosby, formerly Clarke’s assistant, will take charge of the team until the end of the season.