Foreign legion – Funso Ojo becomes latest European player to sign for Port Vale FC
Newboy Funso Ojo has joined former loanee Florent Cuvelier in becoming the second Belgian signing by Port Vale. He also joins a growing list of continental European players to appear for the club.
That list excludes any players qualified to play for the home nations – England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
The names which precede him are a real mixed bag. Top of the list is actually the club’s first signing from continental Europe. John Rudge signing Robin van der Laan was a promotion winner who played more than 200 times and earned the club a £750,000 transfer fee. However, he is joined by less successful signings such as Bruno Ribeiro duo Chris Mbamba and Carlos Saleiro. The most recent signings before Ojo was last season’s loan goalkeeper Tomas Holy, who hailed from the Czech Republic and January addition Harry Charsley who qualifies for Ireland.
Here is the list of players we’ve compiled.
List of continental Europe Port Vale signings
Chris Mbamba and Rigino Cicilia
Albania
Freddie Veseli
Austria
Andreas Lipa
Belgium
Florent Cuvelier
Funso Ojo
Czech Republic
Tomas Holy
Finland
Ville Viljanan
France
Quentin Pereira
Sébastien Amoros
Dany N’Guessan
Achille Campion
Christophe Horlaville
Stéphane Pounewatchy
Italy
Leo Fasan
Netherlands
Robin van der Laan
Mark Snijders
Rogier Koordes
Arjan van Heusden
Nico Jalink
Kjell Knops
Kelle Roos
Jermaine Holwyn
Tyrone Loran*
Riginia Cicilia**
* played internationally for Netherland Antilles
** played internationally for Curaçao
Portugal
Kiko
Paulo Tavares
Miguel Santos
Carlos Saleiro
Norway
Robin Berntsen
Republic of Ireland
Micky Cummins
Sam Foley
Eamonn O’Keefe
Bernie Slaven
Jimmy O’Neill
Felix Healy
George O’Callaghan
Gavin Gunning
Harry Charsley
Damien McCrory
David McGoldrick
Gary Mulligan
Alan Lee
Phil Hardy
Mark Salmon
Olamide Shodipo
Daryl McMahon
Jay O’Shea
Andy Massey
Darren Murphy
David Freeman
Dean Delany
Romania
Dennis Politic
Sweden
Chris Mbamba
Tobias Mikaelsson
Jan Jansson
Switzerland
Gezim Shalaj