Neil Redfearn new Leeds U18 coach

YORK City assistant manager Neil Redfearn is leaving KitKat Crescent to take up a coaching position with Leeds United&rsquo;s academy. </p>

Redfearn, who was promoted from youth-team coach to become new boss Martin Foyle&rsquo;s understudy in November, will start his new job as Under-18s coach after the home match with Burton tomorrow. </p>

City have moved swiftly to find a replacement for the former Premier League midfielder with Port Vale&rsquo;s youth-team manager Andy Porter set to be installed in the position. </p>

Redfearn, who was appointed head of youth by former City boss Colin Walker in February, departs with the club&rsquo;s blessing and City chairman Jason McGill said: &ldquo;We are obviously disappointed to lose Neil, but we recognise that a position at Leeds United is a great opportunity for him. </p>

&ldquo;Neil has made a really positive contribution at York City and has helped revitalise our youth system while forging a good relationship with our centre of excellence. </p>

&ldquo;Since being assistant manager, he&rsquo;s also impressed in the senior environment. Neil was a popular figure at the club and we wish him the very best with his future career. </p>

&ldquo;We are now looking forward to welcoming Andy Porter to the club. </p>

&ldquo;He has worked with Martin Foyle before and we think the fact that they already have a close working relationship will benefit the club. </p>

&ldquo;Andy also comes with an excellent record in terms of what he achieved with the youth team at Port Vale.&rdquo; </p>

Porter arrives at KitKat Crescent having created a club record at Vale Park by leading his junior side to the last eight of the FA Youth Cup, beating Bolton and Tottenham along the way before succumbing to eventual finalists Chelsea. </p>

City boss Foyle had led the club to their previous best showing in the competition, as youth-team boss four years earlier. </p>

Porter, now 40, also had a spell as co-caretaker manager with Dean Glover and took charge of the reserves for the majority of last season, steering the second string to a surprise second-placed finish in the Pontin&rsquo;s League midland division. </p>

As a player, midfielder Porter scored 26 goals in 432 appearances after spending the first 11 years of his career with Vale. He moved on to Wigan in 1998 but struggled for first-team chances and was loaned out to Mansfield and Chester, eventually joining the latter in 2000. </p>

A spell as caretaker manager at Chester was followed by a loan move to Northwich when Mark Wright took over the reins. </p>

Porter then became player-manager at Kidsgrove Athletic before returning to Vale as youth-team chief in 2004. Surprisingly, he made a brief playing comeback under former team-mate Foyle, enjoying six outings before finally hanging up his boots in December 2005. </p>