Port Vale players – a collection of geographical firsts…
Lucas Covolan has become the first Brazilian player to sign for Port Vale FC. In this feature we look at some other geographical firsts for Vale players…
Have we got it right? If you spot a mistake or a player we missed do let us know and post a comment at the bottom of the article.
First North American signing
Many fans would suspect Randy Samuel, the Canadian International but he didn’t join until 1996. Preceding him by three years is fellow countryman Oliver Heald. The striker was offered a professional contract in September 1993, after a trial, but sadly he never made a first-team appearance. The club’s first signing from the US was on loan winger Jemal Johnson in 2010.
First South American signing
The only other South American player, apart from Covolan, to be signed by Port Vale is winger Cristian Montano. The Columbian was signed in 2017 and released at the end of the 2020-21 season. He is now on the books of Scottish side Livingston.
First North African signing
Now this one is surprising. It’s not midfielder Sam Morsy, whose Egyptian heritage has seen him capped by his country. It’s actually a player who many fans would think of as Scottish. Forward Roddy Georgeson may have been signed from Scottish side Bo’ness and he may have played for a host of Scottish clubs after leaving the Valiants, but he was actually born in Shubra, Egypt in 1948. Georgeson joined Vale in 1966.
First South African signing
This one is more straightforward. Ken Fish, who had two spells as a player plus a lengthy spell as trainer was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He won four caps for his country and had two spells as a player for the Valiants (in 1937 and 1939).
First continental Europe signing
Another simple one.. that will be Dutchman Robin van der Laan who joined the side in 1992. His arrival was the start of a number of forays into the Dutch market by Vale manager John Rudge.
First Australasia signing
There’s been a few – Chris Herd, Dave Mulligan etc… but the first was striker Chris Killen who was signed on loan in 2001. Killen was then on the books of Manchester City and scored a highly impressive six times in nine appearances for the Vale.
First Carribean signing
Vale have had a number of successful Carribean signings – among them Tony Rougier, Mark Marshall and Sagi Burton. It may surprise some to know that striker Michael Husbands was of Saint Lucia heritage. If you discount Jamaican legend Robbie Earle, who we would argue progressed through the youth ranks and wasn’t “signed” then the first Carribean import we came across was fellow Jamaican Onandi Lowe in 2001.
First Scandinavian signing
This one is also fairly obvious. It’s not Ville Viljanan nor Robin Bernsten but Jan Jansson who was the club’s first Scandinavian signing back in 1996.
Have we got it right? If you spot a mistake or a player we missed do let us know and post a comment at the bottom of the article.