3 Port Vale players who played on an international level

Few football teams in England can boast the longevity and heritage that The Valiants can. Although the year the club was originally established is often a topic of debate, no other club has spent as many years between the second and fourth tiers as Port Vale. 

While we might not have had the same international talent pass through the doors of Vale Park compared to some other English clubs, the club has still played host to some serious talent over the years. Many of these players have gone on to represent their countries at the international level.

As we look forward to a big summer of football, we hope that England can shine in the Euros. They head into the competition as the bookmakers’ favourites. The Euros competition could be the boost we need in English football, and while not many Valiants have made the leap from the white kit of The Vale to the Three Lions jersey, we’ll still be right behind them in Germany this summer.

1. Robbie Earle

Although Robbie Earle might be known by the wider English footballing community as a pundit and a key member of Wimbledon’s “Crazy Gang”, who gained notoriety throughout English football in the 1980s and early 1990s, it was at Port Vale that the Jamaican international made a real name for himself. 

Robbie wasn’t just one of the great midfielders of his generation; he’s considered one of the greatest players to have played for Port Vale. In fact, many Vale fans consider him to be the best player to have ever donned the jersey. Among those who remember how integral “The Black Pearl” was back in those days, there are few who would disagree with this statement. 

The goalscoring midfielder notched up an impressive 77 goals in 294 games and has the distinction of scoring Jamaica’s first-ever World Cup goal, which occurred at France 98. Although this was long after he left The Vale for Wimbledon, he’s still an icon at the club. The fondness is mutual, with Earle consistently referring to the special time he spent playing at Vale Park.

2. Ryan McGivern

Ryan McGivern started his career with serious promise at Manchester City. After a cluster of loan spells in the lower leagues, they decided to let him leave permanently and sign with Hibernian in 2013 before he signed with Vale the following year. The Northern Irish international amassed 24 caps between 2008 and 2016; the final two years of his international career also culminated in 48 appearances for Port Vale.

McGivern represented Northern Ireland at several youth levels before he broke into the full international setup. Although he might not have hit the heights his career initially promised, he was able to carve out a decent reputation for himself in the lower leagues and managed to get himself the nod on the international stage. 

Unfortunately for Ryan, he found himself left out of Northern Ireland’s Euro 2016 squad. A succession of injuries and an inability to hold down a steady club to ply his trade meant that he could not force his way back into contention.

3. Chris Birchall

As a graduate of Port Vale’s youth academy, Chris Birchall broke into the first team in 2001 before playing more than 70 games between 2001 and 2006. His blistering performances caught the eye of Coventry City, and he made the switch for a fee of £300,000. 

Chris didn’t quite recapture the form for the Sky Blues that he had for The Vale. A series of hamstring injuries meant Coventry did not offer him a new contract, and he played for a few teams in England and Scotland before hopping across the pond and joining LA Galaxy.

It was in his final year at The Vale that Chris received his international call-up for Trinidad & Tobago, where he qualified on account of it being his mother’s place of birth. He notched up more than three dozen appearances at the international level, including appearances against England and vital contributions in World Cup qualifying games. This later earned him a CM after his name, which is considered an honour in Trinidad & Tobago culture.

Summary

Despite Port Vale being in the lower tiers of the English game, plenty of players have gone on to make us proud on the international stage. Hopefully, some of the fresh faces who represent their country in the current squad, such as New Zealand’s Deklan Wynne and Republic of Ireland’s Ronan Curtis, can buoy us back up to League One at the first attempt next year.