Leek Town have appointed former Stoke City and Port Vale midfielder Danny Pugh to the role of first-team coach.
As well as playing for both of our local EFL sides, Pugh enjoyed a career spanning 17 years which started at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson. At Old Trafford, he made his professional debut back in 2002 as he replaced Ruud Van Nistlerooy in a 5-2 win over Maccabi Haifa in the UEFA Champions League. He went on to make a further six appearances for the Red Devils.
Pugh swapped Manchester for Leeds as he joined Leeds United in 2004 as a part exchange deal for Alan Smith. He went on to play in the Football League at Preston North End, Stoke City, Coventry City, Bury, Blackpool and Port Vale before moving into non-league football with Hanley Town in 2021.
At Stoke, Pugh played 89 games for the Potters helping them not only win promotion to the Premier League but, also reach the FA Cup final in 2011 where the side managed by Tony Pulis narrowly lost 1-0 to Manchester City at Wembley. Later in the year, Pugh scored the only goal of the game to help Stoke defeat Swiss side FC Thun in the Europa League.
Meanwhile, at Port Vale, he became a senior member of the playing squad as Neil Aspin made him club captain in October 2017. In 2018 he took on additional coaching responsibilities following the departure of coach Gary Brabin and, in 2021 he was appointed as caretaker manager following the departure of John Askey. Upon Darrell Clarke being appointed as Askey’s successor at Vale Park, he reverted to the role of coach.
He departed Port Vale in May 2021 and, just three months later he was working with Carl Dickinson at Hanley Town as he helped the club to the Midlands Football League title.
Pugh completes the management team that consists of Josh Brehaut (manager), Peter Ward (assistant manager), Dom Kurasik (goalkeeper coach), Steve Pardoe (Kit and Recruitment) and Gilly Larkin (Physio).
