Port Vale Football Club are delighted to confirm that John Schofield will join Andy Crosby’s first team staff as Assistant Manager.

Most recently, Schofield has been the Northern Ireland Under-21 manager having taken over in 2021 when he replaced Crosby who had left the international set-up to join the Valiants.

John had been coaching Northern Ireland on a part-time basis up until that point alongside his commitments with Peterborough United’s Under-23s.

During his playing career, Schofield, who played in midfield, amassed more than 540 professional appearances turning out for Lincoln City, Doncaster Rovers, Mansfield Town, and Hull City.

Returning to Lincoln during the 2000/01 campaign, John would have his first taste of coaching when he became a player-coach before retiring that same season.

John’s coaching roles include Scunthorpe United, Walsall, Cambridge United, Notts County and Doncaster Rovers and he has also been assistant manager at Cheltenham Town, Gillingham, Scunthorpe and York City.

As a coach, Schofield currently has five play-off appearances to his name and three promotions.

Speaking about joining the Valiants, John said:

“I’m really looking forward to joining the set-up at Vale as Andy’s assistant manager, there’s a real buzz about the place.

“I’ve known Andy quite a while and first worked with him when I went to Scunthorpe as a coach where we struck up a relationship and then I had the chance to go and work with him again when he was Northern Ireland Under-21s manager.

“We’re pretty similar when it comes to ideas, especially on the environment around the place and the way we want to develop players, we also try to have a way of playing that everybody understands and enjoys.  

“Having been in towards the end of last season, I’ve already been able to work with the rest of the staff and experience the environment that is being built. As soon as you walk in everybody makes you feel welcome and it’s such a family environment and I can’t wait to get started.”   

Port Vale Manager, Andy Crosby said:

“I am absolutely delighted that John has agreed to join us here at Vale Park, having worked with him previously, he is somebody I trust immeasurably and I know he will offer great support not just to myself but also to the support team already in place.

“He is an excellent coach that offers much more than footballing knowledge, he is a great person with a fantastic personality and mixed with his great work ethic, I know that he will make a great impact on and off the pitch.”