Former Port Vale Players who made it to the top-flight
Players come and go, but your team is forever. Over your life, you’ll have seen many footballers pass through the gates at Vale Park, with some only sticking around for a season or two.
Fans are typically much more passionate about their club than players. They’ll show up to games in good seasons and in bad, they’ll cheer them on from home while watching on TV, and they’ll spend time reading the latest updates on transfers, injuries, and managerial decisions.
Many will even place bets on their team, predicting the outcomes of games to add another element of excitement. The savviest of these will create accounts at different bookmakers to use different free bet offers for the wagers they place. Bets and accumulators like this are often hotly debated among friends as they critique each other’s choices.
Occasionally, legends like Roy Sproson, who completed in 842 matches for Port Vale, and his cousin Phil, who made almost 500 appearances, show just as much dedication as the fans. These one-club men are mostly now a thing of the past, with the majority of players hoping to climb the ranks of the football pyramid all the way to the Premier League.
Of all the ambitious footballers that have been on the Port Vale books, these are some of the ones that managed to make it into the top flight of English football.
Mark Bright
Mark Bright joined Leek Town in 1978 after leaving the Port Vale Academy but returned to Vale Park for the 1981/82 season. He quickly made his way up the pyramid, joining Crystal Palace in 1986 and, therefore, moving into the Premier League for its inaugural season in 1992/93.
Anthony Gardner
Anthony Gardner joined the Port Vale first team in July 1998 and jumped almost immediately to the Premier League. For the turn of the millennium, he joined Spurs on a £1.35 million transfer, before being loaned to Everton in 2008.
Mark Chamberlain
Mark Chamberlain was a winger that joined the Port Vale first team in 1978, before moving to Stoke City. Over his career, he competed for a number of big-name teams, including Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth, and Brighton, peaking in the former First Division.
Mel Machin
Mel Machin was part of the Port Vale squad between 1962 and 1967, before moving to Gillingham FC. During his career, he made a total of 14 appearances and made one assist in the former First Division.
Terry Alcock
The centre-back Terry Alcock joined Port Vale’s first team in 1964, moved to Blackpool in 1967, and then returned for a season in 1977. He made a total of five First Division appearances over his 15-year football career.