With the surprising shock of form that Port Vale have encountered this season, the Valiants have ended up at the bottom of the League One table with just 14 points in 18 games.
Darren Moore now has a huge job on his hands to turn them around and get their engine running once again.
Due to the really poor form that they are experiencing, including their six-game draught without a goal, pressure is piling on the man at the helm as a chance could be needed, but who could they bring in?
Since being sacked by newly relegated League One club Luton Town on the 6th October following a 2-0 loss against Stevenage, Bloomfield has become a free agent, which could be a huge opportunity for the Valiants to take advantage of if they decide to jump ship and persuade the ex-Luton manager to join.
Starting off at Wycombe Wanderers in 2023, Matt took over from Gareth Ainsworth, who earned himself a move into becoming the new boss at Queens Park Rangers, leading Wycombe into a return reign with their new manager.
After leading the Chairboys into an average season in 2023-24, his first major stint arrived at the beginning of the 2024-25 season with a blistering start to the new campaign.
In this time, he won the EFL League One Manager of the Month in October 2024 after bringing the club into an automatic place.
Bloomfield then doubled his achievement after winning a further four games from four, before jumping ship to join the Championship side at the time Luton Town on January 14th 2025.
Despite having no success at Luton, it is clear that the flexible, modern, and possession-based football would be no surprise towards the Valiants due to Bloomfields’ high win percentage that he has carried into his managerial career.
The experienced Scottish man could also be a perfect fit for Port Vale, as they may need reliability from an experienced man at the helm to help them climb out of the relegation zone and start a redemption due to Steve Evans managing since 1994.
Despite recently failing with his former club Rotherham United after being sacked in 2024-25 after a 4-0 hammering against Crawley Town on the 29th March, leading the club to sit in 16th place, Evans has had plenty of success in the EFL prior to joining Rotherham United.
For example, his stint at Stevenage was a major turning point for the club as they are currently thriving in League One.
Steve Evans joined the club on the 16th March 2022, as they were in 22nd place and sat just three points above the relegation zone.
However, after successfully working his magic, the club secured safety with three games remaining after a run of ten points across the first six games, starring a 2-0 win against Tranmere Rovers.
Leading the club out in their next campaign beginning in the 2022-23 season, their instant run of form led them to win ten games out of 13 and sat top of the league table on the 8th October 2022, which came as a complete surprise to everyone.
Carrying on their excellent run of form, a 2-0 victory against Grimsby Town on the 29th April secured their promotion to EFL League One, and on the 5th May, Evans won Manager of the Month.
An Impressive season under his belt, including an FA Cup third-round shock victory against Aston Villa 1-2, led Evans and his club to feel momentum as they entered League One, as another successful season followed, seeing the club challenge for the playoffs.
After being nominated for League One Manager of the Year, Evans left the club in April 2024, having won 54 out of his 120 games with them.
Demanding hard work, high intensity and direct football, Evans could lift Port Vale into playing exciting football which could lift the club up in the league table if they decide to hire Steve Evans
Starting his managerial career at Wycombe Wanderers as a caretaker manager on the 24th September 2012, after the club picked up just four points from seven games, Ainsworth managed to lift them out of the relegation zone.
Under his influence, Ainsworth was appointed permanent manager on the 8th November 2012, just two months after becoming caretaker manager.
In December, he managed to win ten games out of 15 games, and went further away from the drop as he started to lead the club to success.
Then, in April 2013, the huge announcement arrived where he retired as a player, and signed a two-year deal with Wycombe Wanderers.
Having a huge eleven-year stint with the club, Ainsworth got the club to the League Two play off final in 2014-15, achieved automatic promotion to League One in 2017-18, and also achieved promotion to the EFL Championship in 2019-20 in the play off final against Oxford United which saw him become one of their most successful managers in the history of the club.
Deciding to leave Wycombe Wanderers on the 21st February, he switched clubs to join Queens Park Rangers on a three-and-a-half-year deal, and ended the 2022-23 season in 20th place with the club.
After another disappointing start to the following season, he was sacked on the 28th October following a sixth consecutive defeat, leaving the club second bottom.
Ainsworth then decided to join Shrewsbury Town on the 13th November 2024, winning just five games out of his 22 in charge of the club leading them to go bottom of League One with 14 points from safety.
With nine games left to play, Ainsworth decided to leave the club despite a two-year offer on the cards, as he decided to make the controversial decision to join League Two side Gillingham on the 25th March 2025, as they ended their season in 19th place.
Finishing the season strongly, it was clear they had high hopes in this season’s campaign starting brilliantly gaining 14 points, and going six games unbeaten.
Ainsworth won Manager of the Month, however, after undergoing cardiac surgery, the manager missed several games, however has started to remain back in charge from the 8th November, watching the game from the commentary gantry and witnessing his team become victorious at Bristol Rovers winning 0-1.
Gareth Ainsworth is another option that Port Vale could go for, however, they would have to offer money to Gillingham for his clause, it would be a risky option.
Bringing in an attacking mindset, with an aggressive high press, could the Valiants be persuaded in the attempt to make a fairy tale with the former player?
Being their final option, the favoured current decision that the board are deciding to go with, is to stick with the current man at the helm.
Making it clear that they still remain in full trust and hope with Moore despite fans’ frustrations and anger.
Could their risky move work out and repeat success, like last season where they won promotion into League One through the automatics, or are they going to repeat previous doom and gloom like they did last time in League One?
With a huge opportunity to get fans back on board after a thumping 5-0 victory in the Vertu trophy, will he take the chance?
