Opinion – the Ryan Loft move is great news for all concerned

Rob Fielding says that while the playing efforts of Ryan Loft were much maligned it’s worth remembering there is a human being involved – and he hopes the move will work out for both parties.

Rob Fielding writes…

I’m glad that Darren Moore has managed to successfully reshape his attack and bring in some money but I’m also glad that Ryan Loft, the person, has the chance of a new start…

There’s been talking of “miracle worker” Darren Moore and an agent, Chris Dolan, who “deserves to be knighted” after Port Vale revealed that much maligned striker Ryan Loft was leaving – but not only that – leaving for a fee to League One side Cambridge United.

The Loft move was undoubtedly one of the most heavily criticised of the unmourned David Flitcroft era. Ellis Harrison, who had proven a regular scorer, opted to leave and Flitcroft decided to pay a fee to bring in Loft. At the time, the move was heralded by Flitcroft as “We have been chasing Ryan throughout the summer… we feel that our environment can give Ryan a platform where he can develop his game… I believe that we are the club to allow Ryan to realise his potential.”

It’s fair to say that 35 games and two goals later that potential was never reached. The striker was recovering from injury when signed and had a slow start. As a result, he lost confidence and even when fully fit never impressed upfront. As a result, he rapidly became the target of boo boys as the club lurched to relegation. Loft’s impotency upfront was much derided and it’s sad to say that some of the abuse was over the top – with the striker being abused even before he entered the playing field. Indeed, it’s telling that in his first interview with the Cambridge United website, Loft cited the “backing of the (Cambridge) fans” as one of the reasons for his move. By inference, he’s suggesting he feels that he never got that backing from the Vale Park crowd.

I don’t want to rewrite history about performances on the pitch. It’s clear that in terms of effect and scoring ability Loft will rank as one of the club’s worst-ever signings. However, by the end of his spell, he was certainly putting in the effort, as he harried and pressed the opposition. Effort is no substitute for skill, but it at least showed an appetite and willingness to work for the team, something that perhaps the more vociferous terrace critics should have taken into account when continuing to pour scorn on his efforts.

However, at the end of the day, Loft was not a good fit for Port Vale and a reset was badly needed this summer. Many fans wondered if we would even get the striker off our books, so to get a fee for him seems a masterstroke. However, having said that, I’m still hoping he is a success at Cambridge. Why? Well, towards the end of last season, Loft looked a broken man, in fact so much so that I posted an article expressing concerns for his mental health – again, it’s worth reiterating my earlier point that it’s not just a team member but a human being involved.

So, I’m glad that Darren Moore has managed to successfully reshape his attack and bring in some money but I’m also glad that Ryan Loft, the person, has the chance of a new start, rather than seeing out the last twelve months of his unhappy spell in the Potteries.

I wish Ryan the best for the latest chapter of his career. This seems very much like a move that suits both parties – Port Vale FC and Ryan Loft – well.