Ex-Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore tipped for swift return to management after Huddersfield Town sacking

Former Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore has been linked with a swift return to management following his departure from Huddersfield Town with the 49-year-old reportedly Port Vale's prime candidate to fill their managerial vacancy.

The former West Brom, Derby County and Barnsley defender left Hillsborough prior to the start of the Championship season but returned to work with Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield in September, replacing ex-Sheffield United man Neil Warnock in West Yorkshire.

However, he oversaw just three wins in 23 games at the Terriers and left with the club 21st in the table and just three points above the relegation places. His final game in charge was a 1-1 draw a QPR with Huddersfield beating Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 in their first game after Moore's departure while they ran Southampton close in a 5-3 loss on Saturday, in a game they led twice.

According to Alan Nixon, League One strugglers Port Vale are eyeing Moore as a replacement for Andy Crosby, who was sacked by the club last week after a run of just one win in eight games. Port Vale sit inside the League One relegation zone on 31 points, although they have two games in hand over Charlton Athletic in 20th with the two sides on the same number of points. They are three points behind Shrewsbury Town in 19th and Reading in 18th, with two games in hand over both of those clubs to leave their survival hopes in their own hands.

In a lengthy open letter to supporters last week, club owner Carol Shanahan said their interview process was already underway, with Moore now the odds-on favourite to land the position.

He wrote: "We are interviewing potential new managers at the moment and they are looking to see if this is the sort of club that they want to join. When the new manager arrives he will need the backing of the supporters, the board and the team to give him the best chance of being a success."