Port Vale: Paul Bodin named assistant to manager Rob Page

Former Wales international Paul Bodin played in the Premiership for Swindon Town

Port Vale have appointed Paul Bodin as assistant to manager Rob Page.

Former Wales international left-back Bodin, 50, will act as first team coach to plug the gap left by the departure of the long-serving Mark Grew.

Bodin, who was youth team boss at his old club Swindon Town, also worked at Southampton and was part of Wales boss Chris Coleman's backroom staff.

"I know him well from the Welsh set-up when I coached the Under-19s and 21s," boss Page told BBC Radio Stoke.

Paul Bodin's footballing credentials
Paul Bodin, who spent the majority of his playing career with Swindon Town, also played league football for Cardiff City, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United (loan) and Reading.
He won 23 caps for Wales, scoring three times, but is best remembered for missing a penalty in a key World Cup qualifier against Romania at Cardiff.

Fellow Welshman Page, 40, who himself signed a new two-year deal earlier this month, sees Bodin's appointment as a key part of rebuilding his squad.

"He's a great addition to the team," he added. "I want to put my own stamp on things and, to do that, I need a good coach behind me.

"He has a wealth of experience from having played at the top level, for Wales. then going to coach on the youth side at Swindon and going in to Southampton, and we all know the reputation for the way they develop playrs and go about their business.