Who We Are

Born in 1996, Tom currently plays for Oldham Athletic. He joined Stoke City at the age of 8 and continued through their ranks before being released at 16. He then went on to join Peterborough after a short period with local team Newcastle town. Tom then joined Stevenage before going on to sign with Port Vale. He joine te Latcs last summer and is now entering his 19th season within a professional football club.

Also born in 1996, Nath Smith is a defender and club captain at Port Vale, where he has spent the last 13 years. Nathan did not come into academy football until he was 13. Having come through Vale's Academy, he learnt his trade on loan at Stafford Rangers and Torquay United, respectively. Since then then gone on to make over 350 first-team appearances for his local team Port Vale.

Born in 1991, Nick has already accumulated over 14 years of coaching experience. He has acquired a range of coaching qualifications and at the top of that is his UEFA A licence, which is what all Premier League managers require. Having worked in the UK and US, and most recently Port Vale's Academy, he is now using PLA as a platform to pass on his footballing knowledge to develop the next gen.

Born in 2001,  Lewis Beeston is an ex-Port Vale Academy player, having spent 7 years at Vale Park, before racking up over six years of experience teaching P.E within educational settings, from primary to sixth-form colleges, as well as coaching goalkeepers of all ages and levels in his spare time. Lewis is also a fully-qualified disability sports coach and has helped many disabled children discover a love for sport. He is now applying that experience to our new PAN Disability team.

Born in 1997, Tom Farr has had a passion for coaching from a young age. He has worked his way up through professional football club, Port Vale, starting with their development centre before moving up into their academy. After impressing the Academy coaching staff at Vale, he was made head coach of the Under-18 shadow squad. Tom made the decision to join PLA to help develop all the local players, while continuing to work with his Under-18 squad.

Born in 1999, Kai Wilson epitomises what PLA is all about, his passion and enthusiasm towards the development of players is second to none. Coach Kai has been involved in football from a young age and has developed a knowledge of the game through first hand experience. He is now fine tuning his coaching ability, working along side our head coaches and adding lots of value to each and every session.

Football has been at the heart of Ben Marren's life since the age of three, taking him through various competitive levels, including stints at both Port Vale and Manchester United’s Academies. His experience in the game gives him a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed.Beyond football, Ben brings a wealth of expertise in working with young people, having taught Physical Education across all levels of education. His passion for developing skills, confidence, and a love of learning in young minds shines through in every session he delivers.

James Plant is a midfielder currently on loan at Yeovil Town, from Port Vale. James brings a wealth of on-field experience and a fresh perspective to our coaching lineup. Having risen through Port Vale’s youth system, James knows firsthand the dedication and resilience it takes to develop as a young player. Now, he’s eager to pass that on to inspire the next generation.Known for his versatility and work ethic, James is not only a skilled athlete but also a fantastic role model for aspiring players.