Loanwatch: how’s Port Vale’s Tommy McDermott faring at Rochdale?
Port Vale midfielder Tommy McDermott joined National League side Rochdale on loan two weeks ago and we take a look at how he’s done so far…
What’s the story?
A young talent who progressed through the junior ranks, it’s sometimes hard to remember that Tommy is just 18, as he turned professional over a year ago. The club clearly see regular first-team football as a way to help his progress. A loan spell at National League level certainly helped current captain Nathan Smith who excelled when on loan at Torquay and never looked back. Will the same thing happen with Tommy at Rochdale?
How long is he at Rochdale for?
The loan spell is until January but there’s always a chance it could be extended further.
Game time so far…
It’s been a frustrating start for McDermott. So far, he’s made just two substitute appearances and missed out on another appearance through injury. He’s totalled 24 minutes of action and will clearly be looking to add significantly more. However, despite his limited time on the pitch he’s already received some plaudits from fans with forum posts praising him for “getting stuck in.”
Will we see him in a Vale shirt this season?
McDermott could still feature in our Football League Trophy games. The rules of that competition mean that even players on loan to non-side sides can be recalled to play in those games and then resume their loan spell. With Vale often using Trophy games to give gametime to their squad players, it’s highly likely McDermott could get a game.
McDermott warming up for Vale in a 2022 summer friendly game