Darren Moore lands new international job nine months after Port Vale sacking

Darren Moore has been appointed the new manager of the England Under-20 side.

The former Premier League boss will take charge of the Young Lions during the 2026/27 season.

Getty

Moore has been tasked with overseeing their upcoming U20 Euro Elite League campaign, which gets underway later this month.

It marks his first role in international management, having been without a club since leaving Port Vale in December.

The 52-year-old was sacked by the Valiants just seven months after winning promotion to League One.

Moore will now return to the dugout, with his first match away against Italy on September 25.

He succeeds former Under-20s boss Ben Futcher in the role.

Speaking to England’s media channels, he explained: “I have huge pride in being appointed as a head coach for England and the honour of representing the country.

“I’m excited to work with some of the best young talent in English football, helping players continue their development and to fulfil their potential.

“There’s a real emphasis on developing and achieving together as a group.

“We want to create an environment where talented young players can progress individually while building a strong collective.”

When do England Under-20s play next?

England will begin their U20 Euro Elite League campaign against Italy in less than three weeks’ time.

Getty

Moore’s side will then take on France away from home on September 29 before a home clash with Germany four days later.

The Young Lions are scheduled to take on both Czech Republic and Portugal during the November international break.

Their season will then conclude in March with a trip to Poland and a home meeting with Switzerland.

England have yet to win the U20 Euro Elite League since its inception in 2017.

To date, their best performance has been three runners-up finishes, with the most recent coming in 2025 behind Germany.

Moore’s coaching career

Although Moore has yet to manage at international level, he has experience coaching in each of the top four divisions in England.

Getty

After working as an academy coach and assistant manager at former club West Brom, he was named manager in April 2018.

Despite the club’s relegation, Moore was named Premier League Manager of the Month after a five-match unbeaten run to start his tenure.

He has since had spells in charge of Doncaster, Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield.

As Wednesday boss, Moore won promotion to the Championship via the play-offs in 2023.

His playing career also saw him make 81 Premier League appearances for West Brom and Derby County.

The Birmingham-born centre-back also won three caps for Jamaica.