Opinion: yes, it’s true, Port Vale has finally had a good transfer window
Rob Fielding says the club have had an excellent transfer window so far and it has helped to mend the differences between club and supporters.
Rob Fielding writes…
As well as Moore’s nous in spotting the players, credit needs to go to owners Kevin and Carol Shanahan…
What a difference a removal of Director of Football makes! After multiple failures in successive transfer windows under David Flitcroft, the business under Darren Moore has been very well received by Port Vale supporters.
In his first transfer moves for the club, Moore has brought in not one but two forwards, a cultured left-sided midfielder, an experienced left-back, a tigerish midfielder, an experienced keeper and perhaps most surprising of all, a strapping left-sided defender in, of all people, the returning Connor Hall. The player whose departure in January 2023 started the club’s decline.
The mood among fans at the end of last season was positively mutinous. Cracks were appearing between club and supporters. However, the additions seems to have completely transformed the mood amongst fans with an increased sense of optimism at the club. Furthermore, as well as Moore’s nous in spotting the players, credit needs to go to owners Kevin and Carol Shanahan after fees were paid to bring in Hall and strikers Jayden Stockley and Lauren Tolaj. The latter was reported to cost in the region of £150,000 – a sizeable outlay by the owners and a show of faith in Moore’s transfer knowhow.
If you’d asked most fans at the start of the window then their shopping list would have included new blood upfront, filling the left-back gap and adding a powerful partner for Nathan Smith. Moore has already done all of this and more – and all on a permanent basis. Even if the club’s shopping spree has ended (and who knows) there’s still the possibility of a couple of loanees to plug any more gaps.
The club promised to learn and move on from the Flitcroft debacle. Of course, there’s been no competitive football played at this stage but in terms of an initial response to last season, this has been a strong and determined response by the club and a cause of optimism for Port Vale supporters. Perhaps the club really have turned the corner after Flitcroft… let’s hope so!
What do you think of the transfer business? Are you more optimistic now? Post a comment below.
Nigel
2nd July 2024 @ 8:54 am
Fully agree a cracking start with what seems on paper a very good mix in proved talent and experience.
Couple of good loans will set us up for a strong season.
Brilliant
Geoff Melville
2nd July 2024 @ 8:59 am
If Darren Moore is as good a manager as he is in the transfer market….Might as well give us the trophy now !
Nice work gaffer and thanks Carol and Kevin for backing him ! UTV.
Marco polo
2nd July 2024 @ 8:59 am
I’m H A P P Y .
Peter Brown
2nd July 2024 @ 9:37 am
Prefer us to have our “own” players than rely on loans.
We saw what happened last season when we relied too heavily on loan players
Steve Swinnerton
2nd July 2024 @ 11:41 am
If you had asked the fans what we needed to sign to make this team competitive then DM has just checked that list.
Joe H
2nd July 2024 @ 12:11 pm
In the 50’s the Vale Use to add Two VERY Good Players Each Start of Season ! Which pleased the Fans! – Players Such as Billy Bingham,
Jackie Mudie ( inside forward to Stan Mathews at Blackpool ) My Favourite
Jack Wilkinson, Centre Forward, & many others.
– The attendance Then was about 11,000, When the Vale Scored You Could hear the Roar in High Lane !
Valiiant
2nd July 2024 @ 4:05 pm
Many mistakes were made last season, but as always in life, it’s how you learn from them and how you right the wrongs. A genuinely excellent summer window so far, on paper at least, and credit goes to the owners and manager for restoring some optimism in all of us again ahead of the new season. Bring it on!
RON
2nd July 2024 @ 6:42 pm
Over the moon impressive bit of business by everyone
Ian
2nd July 2024 @ 6:54 pm
If we can keep hold of Garrity and Chislett as well as Dippea and get one or four of the ones who don’t make the grade then this has been a great window for me now it’s about who’s going very happy with the incomings and a lot of credit needs to go to carol and Kevin as bad as the last 4 windows have been they’ve stood up and deserve the backing of the fans this time round
Chris
2nd July 2024 @ 9:20 pm
Just what we needed.
A couple of quality forwards to score goals and a few players to fill the gaps required.
Thanks carol
Let’s go for it.
Win the league and move on..