Former Port Vale defender Nathan Smith has reunited with former boss Andy Crosby at League Two side Tranmere Rovers.
Crosby managed Smith during his spell as Vale boss and the defender has now signed a two-year deal with Rovers.
Nathan has had two promotions from League Two in the last four seasons, and someone who has plenty of experience of what a winning group looks like, feels like, and works like…
Andy Crosby on Nathan Smith
Smith was released at the end of this season after helping the club to the second promotion of his career. The departure of Smith, seventh on the club’s all-time appearance charts, divided opinion amongst fans.
On signing for Rovers, the defender said: “It feels really good. I’ve worked with the gaffer before, and loved every second of how he works. I’m ready to put my body on the line for the cause at any point and do what it takes to win.”
Andy Crosby added: “Nathan is a player who I have worked with previously, a player who, as soon as I knew he was available, I wanted to bring to the Club, and a player who I know our fans will take to their hearts.
“He is a leader, a warrior, and a player whose availability makes him a consistent performer. Nathan has had two promotions from League Two in the last four seasons, and someone who has plenty of experience of what a winning group looks like, feels like, and works like.”
Nathan Smith Factfile
Local lad Nathan Smith progressed through the youth ranks to earn a professional contract. In October 2014, he was loaned to Stafford Rangers to gain first-team experience.
In the summer of 2015 he agreed a new two-year contract with the club and was loaned to Torquay United for the whole of the 2015-16 season. After an outstanding loan spell he was named the Torquay player of the year.
He made his full debut in the 0-0 draw with Bradford City in August 2016 and scored his first goal in the 1-0 win over Rochdale later that month. He was nominated for the August League One player of the month award and in September 2016 the club announced that he had agreed a new three-year deal.
At the end of his first full season he won six awards at the player of the year awards including both the player and young player of the season awards. Smith then became a regular in the side from 2016 to 2020.
In the summer of 2020 there was speculation that an out of contract Smith would move to a higher placed club but he showed his faith in the Valiants by agreeing a new two-year deal in July 2020.
After playing a key role in helping the club to promotion in 2022, Smith’s contract was extended by a further year as he passed 300 appearances for the club.
He was yet again a consistent and reassuring presence at the back in 2022-23 and signed a contract extension at the end of the season. Named captain for the 2023-24 season, he passed 400 appearances for the club towards the end of the campaign.
He finished his Vale career by completing a second promotion in 2025. He departs with 428 appearances in a Vale shirt.
Andy Crosby has made a good signing in Nathan from the Vale . Great clubman, good luck Smudge and thanks for everything you gave the Vale.
Good luck Smudge hope you have a great 2 years
Tranmere have done well to sign the highly experienced Smith, possibly the best man marking centre back in League 2. Obviously the Crosby connection was key, but I’d be surprised if some League 1 clubs weren’t also interested. Good luck to Smith and Crosby.
This was the biggest cert in football after the way Smith was treated at the Vale last season under Moore. It wouldn’t have surprised me, even if Vale had offered Smith terms, he would have chosen to leave. Smith will now be playing for a club and MANAGER who wants him. Crosby’s opinion of Smith is exactly the same as mine, the Smith’s of this world don’t come around very often. Tranmere will be a very good bet for promotion next season, I just hope it isn’t at our expense! Good luck to both of them.
Great signing for Tranmere! Smudge will be a fans favourite there and I reckon will be influential enough to see Tranmere right up there challenging for the automatic promotion places.
It’s an idiotic decision by Darren Moore to release such a consistent and reliable defender.
Good luck and very best wishes for the next chapter in your footballing career Smudge!
good luck to smudge on his new club; great servant to port vale
Fantastic signing for Crosby, all the best Nathan I look forward to seeing you be part of the Tranmere revival.
Smith is a good defender at league 2 level but out of his depth in league 1. The relegation campaigns in a vale shirt have shown that and hence the decision to release him was an easy one. Look at goals conceded in league 1 with him at the heart of the defence.
Needed to be taller and quicker to go above league 2 as in league 1 was always found out. I wish him well at Tranmere.
To PVFC. It’s very unfair to highlight and blame just one player (Nathan Smith) for the course of our relegations. Teams usually go down because the entire squad and manager are not good enough and not just one player. Was Smith also to blame for the lack of goals scored by a patched up forward line out of its depth, OR the inexperienced midfield that was over run week in week out, OR the form of his fellow defenders and goalkeeper. Then you also have to look towards the manager who’s picking the team. Teams don’t go down due to one player, as teams don’t go up due of one player!
Not blaming one player just underlining Smith was simply not good enough in league 1. He was also in another relegation side and also at fault for many of the goals conceded. Forwards in league 1 are generally quicker using the ball and have more ability. Smith is not tall, cannot pass and lacks pace. Ok in league 2 but not in league 1,as a fan I want all our players to be good enough Smith is not.Mr Mountford is clearly a supporter of Smith but if he thinks he is good enough for league 1, I will let records speak for themselves. All careers reach an end as shown by better defenders at vale like Aspin and others.
To PVFC. Nathan Smith’s two relegation campaigns were I believe 2016/17 when he was a teenager. This was the disastrous season we started under Bruno Ribeiro WHEN everyone was poor. Then again in 2023/24 when the team was made up of kids and loanees during the farcical season under Flitcroft, again when almost everyone looked poor. Both teams during those seasons were shocking but you choose to highlight and blame Smith.Smith does lack pace as do the three central defenders we have retained. You don’t need a back 3-4 or 5 of giant’s, there needs to be alternatives. You go on about Smith’s distribution, there’s no one worse than Debrah, but that’s ok is it? He’s tall and slow with poor distribution! The goal against Colchester when Smith was outpaced, they broke from a Vale attack I believe, does it not make you think why was a defender left alone on the halfway line with no cover marking a player quicker than him? It’s a team game and Smith possesses a lot of attributes in his locker the three other defenders don’t, so for me it’s one of those who should have gone. As for your comment on signing the likes of Neil Aspin, in today’s terms you would need £1million plus.