Port Vale summer review: May sees renewed optimism as takeover is confirmed
We take a look back over the summer months by focusing on the month of May…
May started with the momentous news that the takeover of the club by Carol and Kevin Shanahan had completed. The new owners said they had paid over the odds for the club but that they wanted to reunite the Vale family and appealed for stay-away fans to return. Their words appeared to have an effect as season ticket sales surged.
If you used to come to games, come back because it’s our club. One of the things that become very clear to me is that nobody owns a club like Port Vale, we are merely custodians of it. It’s just a humbling and magnificent feeling all at the same time…
New club owners Carol and Kevin Shanahan
On the pitch, the new ownership allowed the club to offer manager John Askey a new contract and for the club to issue a retained list which saw nine players released. There seemed to be no bad blood with released trio Luke Hannant, Dan Turner and Dior Angus both praising the Valiants after their departure.
The Port Vale Retained List
Released
- Michael Tonge
- Luke Hannant
- Dior Angus
- Theo Vassell
- Dan Turner
- Mike Calveley
- Danny Elliott
- Antony Kay
- Harry Benns
Offered new contract
- Sam Hornby
Players with contract extension options
- Leon Legge
- David Worrall
- Connell Rawlinson
- Manny Oyeleke
Under contract
- Scott Brown
- Nathan Smith
- James Gibbons
- Luke Joyce
- Ben Whitfield
- Tom Pope
- Daniel Trickett-Smith
- Ryan Campbell-Gordon
- Cristian Montano
- Tom Conlon
It was generally a month of good news stories after the takeover. Goalkeeper and player of the year Scott Brown had already agreed a new long-term deal as had youngster Ryan Campbell-Gordon and after the takeover the pair were joined by manager John Askey, winger David Worrall and veteran Leon Legge. The Valiants also added two “new” faces in former loanee Adam Crookes and former Bury midfielder Scott Burgess joining their squad. However, there was a blow when back-up keeper Sam Hornby rejected a deal in favour of a move to Bradford City but did admit it had been a tough call to leave Vale. Released Luke Hannant also found a new club and signed for League Two rivals Cambridge United while Dior Angus was snapped up by Barrow.
Meanwhile, the two transfer-listed players in the Vale squad were confirmed to be Ben Whitfield and Connell Rawlinson.