Port Vale striker is ruled out for rest of the season

Port Vale’s survival hopes may have suffered a blow with the news that striker James Wilson is out for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.

Manager Darren Moore confirmed the news in Thursday’ press conference telling the media: “He has suffered a muscle injury and we don’t feel he is going to be able to participate for the rest of the season. It is a bitter blow for us but that is the situation. It is a big blow but we have other people who can deputise and it means they have to step in.”

Wilson has had a stop and start season with the Valiants. Originally released in the summer he was re-signed after impressing on trial and due to Vale being unable to strengthen their forward line. The 28 year-old has been out for spells during the 2023-24 campaign but he has managed 31 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals.

The club’s former director of football David Flitcroft came under huge criticism for not strengthening upfront during the January window and Wilson’s injury means Vale are down to three senior strikers. Ryan Loft and teenager Baylee Dipepa have been regular starters as Uche Ikpeazu is still regaining match fitness after injury. It is clearly not an ideal situation to have so few options upfront as the Valiants try and stay up in League One.

The injury could also mean it’s the last time Vale fans see Wilson in a Port Vale shirt as he is out of contract in the summer. Undoubtedly talented, Wilson’s spell has been punctuated with injuries. Signed in the summer of 2021, he hit top-form in the run-in to the season scoring in all three play-off games as the club reached League One. However, he missed large chunks of the second season with injury and was released before the decision was reversed. Should he depart in the summer his Vale record will stand as 105 appearances, 23 goals and promotion to League One in 2022.