21st December 2023

Former Port Vale midfielder Luke Joyce has announced he will play his final game as a professional at the weekend.

Joyce will take to the pitch for Northern Premier League Premier Division Radcliffe FC against Workington on Saturday before retiring.

The 36 year-old defensive midfielder began his career at Wigan Athletic and had spells with Carlisle United and Accrington Stanley before making the switch to Burslem.

Joyce was signed by then Port Vale manager Neil Aspin in 2018 and spent three years with the Valiants making 131 appearances and scoring once. He was released in the summer of 2021 and subsequently joined AFC Fylde and Radcliffe.

He made 678 career appearances and scored 19 times over a twenty year spell.

According to a tweet by Joyce, who has a UEFA B coaching license, he is about to enter an “new exciting chapter” by joining Premier League side Brentford although his role at the club is currently unknown.