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Promotion heroes Jamie Proctor and Tom Pett are among six players to be released by League One side Port Vale.

Striker Proctor, 31, scored 12 goals in 2021-22 as Vale went up via the play-offs while midfielder Pett, also 31, has played 83 games across two seasons.

Goalkeeper Lucas Covolan, 31, forward Rory Holden, 25, and 21-year-olds Derek Agyakwa and Sam Robinson have left too.

Dan Jones, David Worrall, Ben Garrity, James Wilson and Mal Benning are in talks to extend their Valiants' stays.


All five are out of contract this summer at Vale, who finished 18th in League One but sacked boss Darrell Clarke late in the season after a run of 11 defeats in 18 matches threatened to plunge them into danger.

The departure of Covolan, who spent last season on loan at National League side Chesterfield, was not unexpected while Holden made just three league starts and Agyakwa one substitute appearance.

Pett, however, played 30 league games in Vale's first campaign back in the third tier and Proctor featured in 20, although he was used mostly off the bench, while midfielder Robinson appeared 22 times.

"This part of the year is always a difficult time in football where we say goodbye to players that have played a huge part in our history," Vale's director of football David Flitcroft told the club's website.

"They leave with gratitude and best wishes of everybody at the club for the way they have committed themselves to grow and progress Port Vale over the past two years."

Aidan Stone, Lewis Cass, Nathan Smith, Tom Conlon, Funso Ojo, Will Forrester, Gavin Massey, Ellis Harrison, Tommy McDermott and James Plant all remain under contract with Vale.

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James Wilson, another member of Port Vale's play-off winning side last season, is leaving the League One club.

The striker, 27, was among five players who were in talks over new deals, but will now leave Vale Park when his current contract expires.

Wilson scored Vale's second goal in the 3-0 win over Mansfield Town in the League Two play-off final last May.

The departures of two other promotion-winning players - Tom Pett and Jamie Proctor - were announced last week.

Wilson arrived in Burslem from Salford City in the summer of 2021 and scored 15 goals that season - including an FA Cup hat-trick against Accrington and netting in each of his last four games of the campaign as the Valiants secured their promotion to League One at Wembley.

He found goals harder to come by this term, scoring four times in 25 league games as Vale flirted with relegation before finishing 18th, four points clear of the drop zone.

Vale director of football, David Flitcroft, said the club wanted to "thank James for his contributions at Vale Park, especially the part he played in helping us to achieve our place in League One through the play-offs last season.

Port Vale appoint Crosby as manager
"We'd like to also thank him for his professionalism and commitment, which he showed during his time here and we wish him nothing but success in the future."

Defenders Dan Jones and Mal Benning and midfielders David Worrall and Ben Garrity are still in talks over new deals as the re-shaping of the squad continues under new boss Andy Crosby.

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Versatile defender Dan Jones has signed a new deal that will keep him at Port Vale until the summer of 2025.

Jones, 28, joined from Salford on 2021 and helped Vale win promotion from League Two in his first season.

He has been a regular since, but suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Shrewsbury Town on 11 February.

Director of football David Flitcroft told the club website Jones has "developed brilliantly as a player and person" and brings great versatility.

"Technically, tactically and physically he has developed and all his stats and data are on an upward trajectory," Flitcroft added. "He is one of the top performers physically at League One level and above.

"Following the freak injury he sustained at Shrewsbury, his absence was evident for the remainder of the season with our defensive XG conceded numbers impacted."

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Midfielder Ben Garrity has signed a new two-year contract with League One side Port Vale.

Garrity, 26, has spent the past two seasons at Vale Park and scored 13 goals in 90 appearances.

Twelve of those came in 2021-22 - the most by a Vale midfielder for nearly 30 years - as the club won promotion back to League One via the play-offs.

Garrity's new deal keeps him in Burslem until at least the end of the 2024-25 season.

He played 37 times this season, scoring once, but was injured in the 1-0 win over MK Dons at the beginning of March and missed the rest of the campaign as Vale finished 18th, four points clear of relegation.

Vale boss Andy Crosby said Garrity, who arrived from Blackpool in June 2021, was a "driving force" on the pitch and a "strong leader" off it.

"Ben epitomises everything that we are working towards becoming as a team with his outstanding athleticism, unbelievable work rate and mentality with the unwavering will to succeed and become the best version of himself," he said.

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Port Vale have signed Cardiff City midfielder Tom Sang on a free transfer.

The 23-year-old has agreed a two-year deal and will complete the move on 1 July when his Cardiff contract expires.

Sang, who can also play in defence, made his Bluebirds debut as a last-minute substitute in an FA Cup tie against Reading in February 2020.

He had loan spells with Cheltenham and St Johnstone before making 11 appearances for Cardiff last season, nine of them in the Championship.

"After speaking to Tom it's clear to me that he has the hunger and determination needed to succeed, and I look forward to seeing him grow on and off the pitch here at Vale Park," said boss Andy Crosby.

"His versatility will give us options and his positivity and work ethic will ensure he beds in well with the squad."

Vale finished 18th in League One last season, four points clear of the relegation places.

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Port Vale have made their second summer signing by bringing in former Middlesbrough keeper Connor Ripley from League Two club Morecambe.

The 30-year-old, 6ft 3in son of former England winger Stuart Ripley, moves to Burslem on a two-year contract.

Ripley follows last week's arrival of Cardiff City midfielder Tom Sang.

"We've been keen on Connor ever since we learned of his availability at the back end of last season," said Vale director of football Dave Flitcroft.

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Vale manager Andy Crosby added that Ripley is "a brilliant goalkeeper and a born leader both on and off the pitch, Connor embodies every attribute that is required to be a part of our squad here at Port Vale."

Ripley only joined Morecambe last summer after three years at Preston and was the Shrimps first-choice keeper, but he turned down the offer of a new deal.

He has kept over 50 clean sheets in his 213 career appearances with Middlesbrough, Oxford United (loan), Bradford City (loan), Motherwell (loan), Oldham Athletic (loan). Burton Albion (loan), Bury (loan), Accrington Stanley (loan). Preston, Salford (loan) and Morecambe.

Ripley said: "I've known that Vale were interested in me for a while. The conversations with Andy Crosby and Dave Flitcroft about where the club is heading and wants to go made it something that I wanted to be a part of."

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Port Vale have signed former Ross County defender Alex Iacovitti.

The 25-year-old has agreed a two-year deal and joins after three years with the Scottish Premiership side where he scored 12 goals in 116 appearances.

He began his career at Nottingham Forest before moving to Oldham Athletic in the summer of 2019 and has had loan spells at Mansfield and Forest Green.

"He is fearless and loves to defend," Port Vale manager Andy Crosby told the club website.

"He is also a major threat in attacking set-play situations and has the ability to score goals.

"He has the drive and determination we want to see in our players and he will be a great addition on and off the pitch."

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Port Vale have signed midfielder Conor Grant following his release by promoted Plymouth Argyle.

The 28-year-old is Vale's fourth summer signing following Chris Sang, Connor Ripley and Alex Iacovitti.

Grant made 137 appearances in five seasons with Plymouth, who went up from League One as champions last season.

"He has great technical ability and is more than comfortable going forward with and without the ball at his feet," said boss Andy Crosby.

"He has the knowledge of this league that will add further experience to our group.

"Off the pitch, he is another driven, highly motivated person that has been part of a successful environment and hopefully, he can add that to our squad."

The two-year deal will be completed on 1 July when Grant's Plymouth contract expires.

The Valiants travel to Barnsley on the opening day of the new season on 5 August

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Port Vale have signed goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler from National League club Oldham Athletic on a one-year contract.

The Swiss-born 34-year-old joined the Latics in the summer of 2021 but only made one appearance last season, in their FA Cup defeat by Wrexham.

Leutwiler first played in England for Middlesbrough and has also had spells with Shrewsbury, Blackburn, Fleetwood and Huddersfield.

He set a Shrewsbury club record with 23 clean sheets in one season.

"Jayson is an experienced player that adds strong competition to our new goalkeeping department, his attitude off the pitch is fantastic and we will be using his knowledge and personality to enhance our group," Vale boss Andy Crosby told the club website.

Leutwiler was still under contract at Oldham but it is not thought any fee has been paid as part of his move.

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Port Vale have made their sixth signing of the summer by bringing in former Accrington Stanley defender Mitch Clark on a two-year contact.

Clark, 24, was released by Stanley in May, two weeks after being charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of betting rules by the Football Association.

But he has since been cleared following an FA investigation.

Clark has had three previous loan stays in Burslem, in 2018 and twice in 2020.

After finishing 18th in League One in the 2022-23 season, Vale boss Andy Crosby's squad is now taking shape ahead of the opening day of the season visit to Barnsley on 5 August.

Clark follows the signings of goalkeepers Connor Ripley and Jayson Leutwiler, defender Alex Iacovitti, and midfielders Tom Sang and Conor Grant.