Port Vale FC paid out just under £355,000 in fees to football agents during the period of February 2025 to February 2026, an FA report has revealed.
The amount is nearly £100,000 up on the previous period (February 2024 to February 2025) when the club spent around £262,000 on agent fees. In 2021, the figure was as low as £41,000 while back in 2012, the total cost on agents was just £2,500. The increase reflects the current financial situation in the game with nine League Two clubs spending six figures on agents and even three National League sides doing so.
The FA notes that the report only shows fees paid during that period and actual transfers could have been made earlier. During that period, the club’s headline purchase was that of Devante Cole. With the exception of Tyler Magloire and Andre Gray plus loanee Ethon Archer, all the deals were agreed by former manager Darren Moore.
Despite the significant payout to agents, Vale’s summer signings have generally been criticised by supporters with the club looking a near certainty to slip back into League Two at the end of the season.
Events where Port Vale paid an agent
Agents don’t just receive a fee for a permanent signing – contract agreements and loans can also command an agent fee. These are the events listed on the FA website concerning Port Vale:
Contracts
Mitch Clark
Kyle John
Jack Shorrock
Loan signings
Mo Faal
Joe Gauci
Ethon Archer
New permanent signings
Jordan Gabriel
Liam Gordon
Cameron Humphreys
Marko Maroši
Rico Richards
Jordan Shipley
Ben Waine
Devante Cole
George Hall
Marvin Johnson
Tyler Magloire
Andre Gray
*Otel Hernandez and Grant Ward were signed after the 2nd Feb deadline
How does Port Vale compare with other League One clubs?
The total spent on agents in League One was just over £14m – an average of £583,000. The figure was swelled by several clubs with extravagant agent fees. Luton Town spent the most – over £3.3m with Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town also topping the £1m mark. At the other end of the scale, Exeter City spent just over £101,000, Doncaster Rovers £158,000 and AFC Wimbledon £179,000. So, Vale’s £355,000 puts them in a mid-table ranking overall.
The gulf between divisions is also apparant in the report. Every Championship club spent more than the Valiants (with the lowest amount £534,000 by financially challenged Sheffield Wednesday) and almost £70m spent by Championship clubs overall.
How do Vale compare with local rivals?
Championship neighbours Stoke City spent a whopping £2m in contrast to Crewe Alexandra who spent a measly £42,000.
What’s the breakdown?
Here’s a chart from the FA report showing all the club spending in League One
Source: the FA
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Some staggering stats here. Factoring these costs into a club’s annual budget must an absolute millstone, and begs the question why more players aren’t developed from academy or reserves as first team players. Shoestring Burton Albion spent more on agents fees than Vale, and that with gates hovering around 3,500. Nationally, football agents are financially taking clubs to the cleaners. It’s a conundrum that needs to be challenged.
So there are 14 clubs who spent less than us but have done considerably better with their points return. Whichever way you look at our club, it’s being run abysmally ! Until we get a settled squad and stop these ridiculous 17-18 man clear outs every season we will always struggle.