Port Vale always had the right man for League One survival but let him go: View | OneFootball

Port Vale look destined for a return to League Two following an awful season that has seen fan protests, the sacking of a manager, the 'mutual' termination of a director of football, and some of the most apathetic performances Vale Park has witnessed in years.

Today marks a year to the day that Port Vale sacked the man that had helped lead them to League One, manager Darrell Clarke, in what now looks like a senseless move that has backfired spectacularly.

While Clarke is now at Cheltenham Town, turning round a team that hadn't scored in ten successive games when he took over to one that now sees League One survival as a real possibility, Vale are heading through the League One trapdoor, and, barring a minor miracle, look likely to be relegated this weekend.

Sorry run ends Clarke's Port Vale stay

Clarke, who had overcome the tragic loss of his 18-year-old daughter the season before, had performed a minor miracle at Vale following their promotion to League One.

Under his guidance, the Valiants started the season in decent form, and the relegation favourites hovered in mid-table for the most part until a decent run of results, culminating in a 3-1 comeback win at Forest Green Rovers on New Year's Day 2023 saw them in ninth place.

Indeed, when rivals Peterborough United came to Vale Park two weeks later, Vale could have gone into seventh and had games in hand over the majority of teams above them, but the 0-2 defeat sparked a run of seven games without a win.

Nevertheless, a 1-0 victory at home to Exeter City meant that Vale were in 12th after 32 games, and this was followed in March by another 1-0 win at home to MK Dons to help ease any relegation fears.

The table was tight at the bottom, but even though Vale appeared to be sliding down the table, other teams were also struggling. When Clarke was eventually sacked by owner Carol Shanahan, Vale were 18th in the table, and despite other teams below having games in hand, survival was entirely in their own hands.

Shanahan then handed Clarke's assistant Andy Crosby temporary charge until the end of the season. Crosby oversaw the four remaining games, losing three and winning a solitary game 2-0 against Bristol Rovers.

It was a result that had no effect on Vale's potential relegation. They ended the season in 18th place, the same position as when Clarke was dismissed, and had they lost to Bristol Rovers would have finished just one place lower - and still out of the dropzone.

Ojo: Port Vale players, not manager, were to blame

Midfielder Funso Ojo told The Sentinel the squad were surprised by Clarke's sacking saying: "Achange of manager, that just happened out of nowhere…it went quite quickly."

He also added that the players were to blame for Clarke's dismissal, saying: "Most of us thought we were safe and thought we were going to finish in the top 12. Teams started picking up points and we just didn’t win anymore, it is that simple. If you’re not winning….we didn’t even get many draws in between."

The decision to replace Clarke with Crosby was strange given Crosby's record in the final four games, and his 30 percent win rate in his time at Vale was well below Clarke's 42 percent. He was also sacked, lasting just 27 games into the new campaign.

Clarke's time-out pays off in Cheltenham role

Clarke, meanwhile, took time out of the game, before being handed the manager's job at Cheltenham Town.

The Robins had started the season terribly, with just a solitary point from their first ten games and failing to score a goal.

But Clarke soon turned round their fortunes. He placed his faith in older, experienced campaigners, and was nominated for the EFL League One Manager of the Month award for October, with the EFL reporting that "to instill spirit and belief so quickly has been astonishing with six goals, seven points in five games."

Clarke now has 40 points from 32 games - a record which, if extrapolated over the season, would equate to more than 57 points and a comfortable mid-table slot for the Robins.

Cheltenham overtake sorry Vale

While Cheltenham continue to improve, coming from behind to win away at fellow strugglers Burton Albion, Port Vale are sliding back to League Two, with just two wins in their last 21 games.

For the first time all season, Cheltenham finally sit above Port Vale in the league.

For Vale fans, the sight of their former popular boss improving a struggling team with experienced players, while Vale struggle with out-of-form and inexperienced loanees, is just further proof that Shanahan made the wrong move when she fired Clarke.