ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman says he would not stand in Jimmy Bell's way if his assistant is offered the chance to manage Port Vale, but he doesn't want to lose his long-serving number two.

Bell has emerged as the joint 2/1 favourite to succeed Michael Brown, who left the Vale Park club earlier this month after a run of seven league games without a win.

The 52-year-old has no previous senior managerial experience but has worked at Port Vale, who the Reds beat 2-1 in midweek, before. He was appointed the club's development squad coach in 2013 before re-uniting with Coleman for their second spell at Accrington three years ago.

The potential for a return to Port Vale has not come as a shock to Reds boss Coleman, who says the only surprise is that Bell has not been linked with managerial vacancies more.

"He's a very good coach and he's worked hard to achieve the level of competency that he's got, and I would regard him as one of the best coaches around at the moment," said the Stanley boss, who has had Bell alongside him for almost all of his 17 years in management.

"Possibly because you don't get lauded as being a coach people can have different perceptions of you, but anyone who's worked under us and has worked with us a long time will see how much Jimmy's developed as a coach, and his tactical thinking as well.

"It comes as no surprise to me that he's (been) linked because he's a very good football person."

Coleman admitted he would not have returned to take charge of Accrington Stanley had Bell not been able to accompany him but insisted he would not prevent his number two trying his hand in management.

"As well as being my assistant he's my best mate," added the Reds boss. "We were best mates before we went into management, so you treat your best friends only with respect, so if he wanted to have the conversation, I wouldn't be stopping him having the conversation with Port Vale, that's for sure.

"But I wouldn't want him to go because I think we work well together. I think we complement each other very well.

“It’s something that you don’t even think of really because you’ve been doing it that long you come to rely on each other.

“The friendship will always be there. The element of trust is what we do in management and makes it work well for us, and bringing John (Doolan) in as well, who is also a good friend of ours, has complemented it even further.

“I think at this moment in time we’ve got a good backroom team with Jimmy at the helm of that. It’s a strong, healthy environment to work in and it gets the best out of the players.”