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.
Get rid of Wilson he is always injured & for a striker he is rubbish
It’s a shame for James Wilson if he could have stayed fit he would have been a quality striker at this level
Think it’s time to say thanks for everything but it’s time to move on.
Sympathy for James. He went on one run at Northampton which showed his skills are there for all to see. He’s been a great player for us. Deserves recognition.
It is sad but he is far too injury prone. Undoubtedly a very skilful gifted player but doesn’t create or score enough. Would have liked to have seen a fit Wilson playing the number 10 role behind a good pair of strikers
Just 4 goals in 31 appearances this season is a very poor return for a forward of his skill and pedigree. There always seem to be question marks over his fitness levels. Perhaps that’s the reason why Championship clubs didn’t step in to sign him, even after the promotion season.
We owe a lot to James Wilson, without his goals against Swindon and Mansfield Vale would never have been promoted, but sadly the lack of goals ( which isn’t all down to him ) and fitness things can’t go on.
Good L2 striker. Not good enough for L1 and injured almost as much as Jones!