Port Vale bring in experienced striker on loan
Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke has been reunited with former player Mat Taylor after a loan deal with Oxford United was agreed.
A late move on Tuesday night saw the forward join the Valiants until the end of the season.
A press release from the club said:
Port Vale Football Club is delighted to announce the loan signing of striker Matty Taylor from Oxford United for the remainder of the 2022/23 season, subject to EFL and FA approval.
Having scored 171 career goals in just under 500 appearances, Taylor will link up with manager Darrell Clarke again, having risen to prominence following his move to Bristol Rovers under the now Vale boss, scoring 21 goals in his debut campaign at the Memorial Stadium to help the Gas win promotion to the Football League.
Taylor moved to the Championship with Bristol City after helping Rovers win back-to-back promotions under Clarke, finishing as top goal-scorer in League Two with 27 league goals.
A graduate of Oxford’s Academy, Taylor returned to the Kassam Stadium – initially on loan – after two-and-a-half years at Ashton Gate, and has finished as the club’s top goalscorer in each of the last three seasons.
Only Jonson Clarke-Harris (75) and John Marquis (73) have scored more than Matty Taylor’s 71 League One goals in the past six-and-a-half seasons, with the goals coming in just 170 games.
Commenting on Taylor’s arrival at Vale Park, Clarke said:
“I have worked with Matty before and know the quality he brings, he’ll give us another dynamic in our forward line.
“We are delighted to get this one over the line; we have been working really hard on this one late into Deadline Day and I’d like to thank Colin Garlick and Jess Frost in our Football Administration team for their work on the deal this evening.”