Port Vale are set to end their managerial search with the appointment of former Northampton Town boss Jon Brady, according to Pete O’Rourke.
The League One strugglers are understood to be closing in on the 50-year-old Australian as the successor to Darren Moore, as they look to arrest a worrying slide at the foot of the table.
Vale have been without a permanent manager since Moore’s departure following a heavy 5-0 defeat to Huddersfield Town, a result that proved terminal for his tenure. Interim arrangements have overseen a mixed spell, with a narrow defeat at Bradford City followed by an emphatic 5-1 victory over Blackpool, a result that briefly lifted spirits despite their precarious league position.
Former Northampton Town boss Jon Brady is in advanced talks to be the new Port Vale manager. #pvfc pic.twitter.com/xqrXVc9g6V
— Pete O’Rourke (@SportsPeteO) January 4, 2026
According to reports, the club have now turned to Jon Brady, who has been out of work since leaving Northampton Town in December 2024. Brady is best known for his work at Sixfields, where he guided the Cobblers to promotion from League Two in 2022-23 and later consolidated their status in League One, earning a reputation as a manager capable of operating effectively within tight financial constraints.
That profile appears to fit the current needs at Port Vale, who sit rock bottom of League One and find themselves ten points adrift of safety. While the Blackpool win offered a reminder of the squad’s potential, the scale of the challenge facing the incoming head coach is clear, with consistency and belief both in short supply.
Will he be the saviour they need?
Brady’s appointment, once confirmed, should give Vale valuable time in the January window to reshape the squad, although it remains to be seen how much funding will be made available. His previous work suggests he is comfortable working within defined limits, focusing instead on structure, organisation and maximising the output of his players, qualities that will be essential in a relegation battle of this nature.
The timing of the change could also work in Vale’s favour. An upcoming FA Cup tie offers a relatively low-risk environment for the new manager to assess his options, before attention turns to the EFL Trophy, hardly a priority. A demanding run of fixtures follows, with trips and home games that are likely to define whether Vale can realistically mount a survival push. With ten points to make up, it is a massive ask.
What is interesting is the scope he has for damaging his former employers, themselves only two points clear of the bottom four.