Former Pompey striker James Vaughan looks set to be sacked as Head of Academy Recruitment at Everton.Former Pompey striker James Vaughan looks set to be sacked as Head of Academy Recruitment at Everton.
Former Pompey striker James Vaughan looks set to be sacked as Head of Academy Recruitment at Everton. | Getty Images
A former Pompey striker is leaving his job at Everton amid a major reshuffle at the Premier League club.
The Friedkin Group have wasted no time in making key decisions behind the scenes at Goodison Park after purchasing the Toffees in a reported £400m deal in December.
The first major casualty of the American owners’ tenure on Merseyside saw Sean Dyche lose his job as manager, with the club sitting precariously above the relegation zone. David Moyes was subsequently reappointed in January and has since steered them 17 points clear of the bottom three.
Sporting director Kevin Thelwell is another big name set to depart the club, after announcing that he would be stepping down at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Angus Kinnear will join Everton from Leeds United as chief executive ahead of the club’s relocation to Bramley-Moore Dock, which is a stone’s through away from Liverpool city centre.
It’s certainly a period of upheaval at the the club - but it doesn’t stop there. Indeed, on Tuesday, it was confirmed ex-Pompey, Sunderland and Birmingham forward James Vaughan was on his way out.
The 36-year-old former Everton Academy player has been with the Toffees as their Head of Academy Recruitment and Player Pathways since April 2024, after returning to the club as Loans Pathway Manager in 2022.
Vaughan was tasked with overseeing the talent academy spotters for the past 12 months - but that will come to an end later this month after Everton announced his departure. A statement issued by the club read: ‘Everton can confirm Head of Academy Recruitment and Player Pathways James Vaughan will be leaving the Club later this month.
‘The former striker, who rose through the Academy and went on to make 60 Men’s Senior Team appearances, rejoined the Club in September 2022, initially as Loans Pathway Manager.
‘He was appointed Head of Academy Recruitment and Player Pathways in March last year.
‘Academy Director Gareth Prosser said: “James has decided to take up an opportunity elsewhere and will leave Everton later this month. On behalf of everyone at the Club, I’d like to thank James for his service and wish him all the best for the future.”’
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News of Vaughan’s exit comes less than two months after a source close to the Toffees labelled the academy’s recruitment ‘a disgrace’. That’s after Everton failed to name a single Liverpool-born player in an under-21s fixture earlier in the season.
Vaughan himself was a successful youth product at Finch Farm, becoming the youngest ever player to represent the club at the age of 16 years and 271 days in April 2005. On top of that, his debut goal against Crystal Palace made him Everton’s youngest ever goalscorer as well as the youngest Premier League goalscorer at the time.
James Vaughan’s 13-club career
After penning professional terms at Goodison Park at the end of the 2004-05 campaign, Vaughan remained with the Toffees until 2011 - totalling nine goals in 60 appearances as injuries impacted his time at Goodison.
Moves to Crystal Palace, Norwich, Huddersfield, Birmingham, Bury, Sunderland and Wigan were to follow, before the experienced frontman was recruited by Pompey boss Kenny Jackett in January 2019.
James Vaughan spent the second half of the 2018-19 campaign at Fratton Park. Picture: Joe PeplerJames Vaughan spent the second half of the 2018-19 campaign at Fratton Park. Picture: Joe Pepler
James Vaughan spent the second half of the 2018-19 campaign at Fratton Park. Picture: Joe Pepler | Joe Pepler
The ex-Derby loanee was signed as the Blues were keen to strengthen their attacking ranks ahead of a promotion battle over the second half of their 2018-19 League One campaign.
However, it was a move that didn’t pay off as Vaughan struggled to anil down a regular place in the team . He failed to score in any of his 11 appearances for Pompey but came off the bench in the EFL Trophy success against former side Sunderland at Wembley.
After his Fratton Park departure that summer, he had spells with Bradford and Tranmere before hanging up his boots in 2021.
Former Pompey head of recruitment, Phil Boardman, remains Everton’s senior European Scout.
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