Port Vale one hit wonders: number three Jonny Maddison
In this series we look back at players who only made a solitary appearance for the Valiants. This week we look at goalkeeper Jonny Maddison.
Jonny Maddison in numbers…
Signed after a long trial period, keeper Jonny Maddison had probably one of the most thankless tasks in recent years.
The 24 year-old’s job was to provide cover and competition for goalkeeper Scott Brown. The problem was clear – Brown was a stand-out player who had already picked up a player of the year award, was rarely injured and would certainly be one of the first names on the team sheet.
It was no surprise therefore that in the 2019-20 season, Maddison was given just one chance to play – appearing in a virtual dead rubber Football League Trophy game against the Newcastle “B” side in November. The consolation for the goalkeeper was that he put in a solid performance and the Valiants won. But as soon as the Vale returned to League action, the ever-dependable Brown was picked again.
With Brown so consistent, it was no real surprise when Maddison was released after a year and a solitary game for the club. Unfortunately, it was a familiar scene for Jonny. He’d not even made an appearance for his first three clubs – Sunderland, Leicester and Crawley and had recorded just sixty one appearances in an eight year career. It appears that at this time, Maddison falls into the reliable bench warmer – but at the age of 25 he now has the chance to turn that around and become a regular keeper at another club.