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We take a look back over the summer months by focusing on the month of May… May started with the momentous news that the takeover of the club by Carol and Kevin Shanahan had completed. The new owners said they had paid over the odds for the club but that they wanted to reunite the Vale family and appealed for stay-away fans to return. Their words appeared to have an effect as season ticket sales surged. Continue reading Port Vale summer review: May sees renewed optimism as takeover is confirmed at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Former Port Vale loanee Mitchell Clark has signed for Leicester City. 20 year-old Clark has agreed a three year contract with the Premier League club. The full-back had a successful loan spell with the Valiants last season playing either on the right or left side of the defence. Clark made a total of 45 appearances for the Valiants. He was surprisingly released by parent club Aston Villa in the summer. Continue reading Former Port Vale loanee signs for Premier League side at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Recent signing Mark Cullen was on the scoresheet but it was not enough as Vale lost their final friendly match 2-1 to Bury. The Valiants announced the signing of Rhys Browne before the game but he was not available through injury. Ben Whitfield also missed out but trialists Alex Hurst and Jonny Maddison were on the bench. Bury lined up with former Vale midfielder Antony Kay in their starting eleven. Continue reading Mark Cullen on target as Port Vale lose to Bury in friendly game at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Port Vale have confirmed the signing of former trialist Rhys Brown on a one year contract. A club statement said: Port Vale are pleased to announce the signing of winger Rhys Browne on a one year deal after a trial period with the club. The former Yeovil player has impressed manager John Askey after training with the squad since they returned for pre-season, and has featured in some of the recent friendlies. Continue reading Port Vale complete signing of winger Rhys Browne at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Join our dedicated forum thread to discuss the final friendly game of the summer. Continue reading Discuss Port Vale’s friendly game against Bury at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Port Vale manager John Askey has hinted at previous unrest in the squad as he says that there is “lot more discipline” in the squad this summer. Askey took over during a period of turmoil with fans protesting against previous owner Norman Smurthwaite. Since the takeover by the Shanahans, Askey has rung the changes with the likes of Ricky Miller and Michael Tonge released and eight new players brought in. Askey told the Sentinel: “There’s a lot more discipline. Continue reading John Askey says discipline has been restored to the Port Vale squad at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Port Vale manager John Askey says that winger Cristian Montano could be fit for the season opener against Colchester United. Montano is the squad’s only long-term injury doubt. Talking about the club’s fitness Askey told the Sentinel: “I’m as satisfied as I could be. There’s only Monty who’s not going to be available and he should start training Monday. “We know that on his day he can be as good as there is in the league. Continue reading Port Vale hopeful of being injury-free for start of season at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Port Vale manager John Askey says he is still looking to add players to his squad ahead of the new season. Vale clearly need goalkeeping cover for first-choice Scott Brown and trialist Jonny Maddison should get another chance to impress in the friendly game against Bury. Maddison has been involved in all of Vale’s summer friendly games and looks likely to be offered a contract to replace the departed Sam Hornby. Continue reading Port Vale trialists eye final chance to impress John Askey at onevalefan.co.uk. More

A look at some connections on the pitch between Port Vale and Bury ahead of the two sides’ friendly clash Current connections There could be two former teammates lining up against each other in this game. Port Vale striker Tom Pope and former Valiant midfielder Antony Kay were colleagues at both Bury and the Valiants. Kay is on trial with Bury at the moment. Vale’s new forward, David Amoo, also had a loan spell with Bury earlier in his career while the Valiants also signed midfielder Scott Burgess (pictured top) from Bury earlier this summer. Continue reading Connections: Port Vale and Bury at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Port Vale flop Zac Jules is the subject of a transfer bid from League Two rivals Walsall, the media is reporting. Jules’ spell at Vale Park was a brief one. He was signed on loan from Shrewsbury Town on the 19th January 2018 by Port Vale manager Neil Aspin. However, he was given little time to prove himself and was dropped after two games – just 141 minutes of playing time – and was never picked again. Continue reading Are Walsall about to sign Port Vale loan flop? at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Former Port Vale club captain Antony Kay could face his former side in a friendly on Saturday. Kay was released earlier in the summer after a two year spell with the Valiants. The Valiants are now set to play League One side Bury at Vale Park on Saturday. The cash-strapped Shakers have just three contracted players and used a host of trialists in their last friendly game. Continue reading Former skipper Antony Kay could face Port Vale on Saturday at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Port Vale owners Carol and Kevin Shanahan have responded to comments from former owner Norman Smurthwaite in the Nottingham press. Smurthwaite is interested in taking over Notts County but says he cannot take over a Football League club because he has a “substantial investment” in Port Vale FC. The former Port Vale owner told the newspaper: “I am not sure if people are aware, but when I sold Port Vale, I have a substantial investment still within Port Vale for the next 36 months.” It has emerged that new owners the Shanahans are paying for the freehold of the ground in installments over the next three years and it is this payment plan which Smurthwaite is referring. Continue reading Port Vale owners clarify Norman Smurthwaite’s comments about “investment” in Port Vale at onevalefan.co.uk. More

For Port Vale, every season in League Two is an important one. Relegation to the National League is dreaded by every club, so the Valiants will be thinking big ahead of the 2019-2020 season, both in terms of their ambitions for the year as well as their thoughts on the dimensions of their pitch by using inventive solutions. As far as their on-field ambitions are concerned, Port Vale have been encouraged by what they have seen so far in their pre-season campaign. Continue reading Port Vale thinking big ahead of new campaign at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Rob Fielding takes a look at which clubs have done what business in the summer transfer window. Rob Fielding writes… The League Two champions will be one of Bradford City, Mansfield Town, Salford City or Plymouth Argyle. Well, it is if you believe what the bookies tell you. A brief look at sports betting odds for the League Two 2019-2020 season seems to back that up. However, is it really that simple? Continue reading League Two’s movers and shakers at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Former Port Vale winger Mark Marshall has continued his “journeyman” career with another move. Marshall left the Valiants in 2016 after a single year at the club and in the four proceeding years he has joined three further clubs. This summer’s move is from Charlton Athletic to League One side Gillingham. Marshall made 49 appearances for the Valiants scoring seven times. Continue reading Former Valiant Mark Marshall switches clubs at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Port Vale’s next summer opponents, Bury, have been warned by the Football League that they could be expelled from League One. The Valiants take on the League One side on Saturday 27th July at Vale Park. Port Vale manager John Askey took the unusual step of telling the local media that the opposition would be able to raise a competitive team for the fixture. Askey commented: “I’ve spoken with their manager and he thinks they are going into the season with a strong team. Continue reading Port Vale’s next friendly opponents threatened with expulsion from Football League at onevalefan.co.uk. More

An unusual piece for our programme collection, a programme for a match which took place the following year! This is the programme for the league game between Port Vale and Southend United. Continue reading The Port Vale programme two months out of date, 1984 at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Our correspondent reviews Port Vale’s opening fixtures. James Russell writes… The start of the new season is upon us, and many Vale fans are optimistic that we’ll be alright after some positive signings in the last few weeks. A play-off spot is not beyond the realms of possibility either but it all depends on how you start. It’s not an easy start to the 2019/20 League Two season that’s for sure, but let’s take a look at some of the fixtures coming up that will separate the men from the boys, so to speak. Continue reading Port Vale’s season – will it be exciting times ahead? at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Wilson Carvalho, a graduate of the Port Vale Academy squad has joined League One side Accrington Stanley. The development squad was set up by former chairman Paul Wildes and also produced Jordan Hugill, who generated a huge sell-on fee for the Valiants when he moved to West Ham last season. Carvalho was released at the end of his year with the Valiants and moved into non-league football. However, after a successful trial he has joined Stanley. Continue reading Former Port Vale development squad member joins Accrington at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Newport County have expressed an interest in veteran midfielder Sam Foley, who has been training with the Valiants since being released by Northampton. The Welsh media report that Foley has joined Port Vale training sessions since his release at the end of last season. Newport are mulling over a return for their former player. According to the South Wales Argus: The 32-year-old midfielder, who played 40 games for the Cobblers last season, has been training with former club Port Vale over the summer in an attempt to keep himself fit. Continue reading Former Valiant Sam Foley leaves Vale training to join up with Newport at onevalefan.co.uk. More

News of a confirmed move and an expected move for two more former Valiants. Grimmer joins Wycombe Former Port Vale loanee Jack Grimmer has sealed a move to League One side Wycombe Wanderers. 25 year-old Grimmer was released by Coventry City at the end of the season. He joined Vale on loan from Fulham in 2014 and made 19 appearances. Alnwick expected to join Blackpool Former Port Vale goalkeeper Jak Alnwick is expected to seal a season-long loan move to League One side Blackpool. Continue reading More former Port Vale players on the move at onevalefan.co.uk. More

We take a trawl through our archives and put together some images of past Port Vale pre-seasons. We are not sure who took all these photos but we know that photographers included Gerard Austin and Paul Humphreys. Continue reading A peek at previous Port Vale pre-seasons at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Port Vale will monitor goalkeeper Jonny Maddison, winger Reece Brown and Alex Hurst over the remainder of the summer. Maddison and Brown are on trial with the club although Brown has a hamstring injury which has restricted his participation in friendly games. Maddison has been regular back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Scott Brown this summer as Vale look to replace the departed Sam Hornby. Hurst is still contracted to non-league side Bradford Park Avenue but can offer cover across the left flank. Continue reading Trio still have chance to impress Port Vale manager at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Images of fans from two of Vale’s 2019 friendly games – against Leek Town and Fleetwood Thanks to Alex Steventon and Roy Thompson for these images. Click on the thumbnail images to see larger versions. Continue reading Gallery: Port Vale fans at friendly games 2019 at onevalefan.co.uk. More

Burnley manager Sean Dyche has praised Port Vale after the two sides met in a pre-season friendly. Vale took the lead through Tom Pope before Premier League Burnley showed their class to end up as 3-1 winners. After the game, Dyche told the local media: “Credit to Port Vale, I thought they were excellent first-half and then second-half I thought we were strong. “We saw out the game properly and played well in patches. Continue reading Burnley manager Sean Dyche praises ‘excellent’ Port Vale at onevalefan.co.uk. More