The 2026–27 season is the 115th season in the history of Port Vale Football Club and their first season back in League Two since the 2024–25 season, following their relegation from League One in the preceding season.
Manager Jon Brady oversaw an overhaul of the playing squad as 15 players were sold or released, with eight permanent and five loan signings incoming. However, one win in the opening seven league games left the club in the relegation zone by the end of September. The club spent £2 million improving the pitch whilst sacking the Senior Head of Recruitment and bringing in a Sporting Director.
Overview EFL League Two The club changed its backroom staff to take more control of recruitment away from the manager, who would still retain final say on transfers. The team went to the Murcia region of Spain for a week-long training camp. The first signing of the summer was 25-year-old defender Jasper Moon, who had become available on a free transfer from Burton Albion. An undisclosed fee was then paid to bring in 24-year-old goalkeer Jackson Smith from Barnsley. A defensive midfielder, 23-year-old former Scotland U21 international Matthew Craig, was then signed from Tottenham Hotspur. Attacking midfielder Kyle Dempsey then arrived on a two-year deal after leaving Bolton Wanderers following the club's promotion to the Championship. Mason Terry, a goalkeeper from the Academy at West Ham United, joined on a season-long loan; the loan was later terminated on 1 September due to a hand injury sustained during training. Striker Oli Lynch also arrived on a season-long loan from Luton Town after top-scoring for Tamworth in 2025–26, whilst Mo Faal rejoined Vale on a season-long loan from Wrexham. Another striker, 27-year-old Max Watters, was then signed on a free transfer from Barnsley. Rico Richards was sold to National League club Southend United for an undisclosed fee. Following successful trial spells, defenders Aaron McGowan and Lewis Montsma, and striker Tyreece Simpson, joined the club on one-year deals. Leaving the club was Jayden Stockley, who went back up to League One with AFC Wimbledon. Ben Garrity continued as club and team captain, with George Byers and Kyle Dempsey as deputies.
The season opened with a 2–0 defeat at Oldham Athletic after Calum Kavanagh scored a second-half brace. This was followed by the opening home game of the campaign, where a Tom Ince goal ensured that Tranmere Rovers come from behind to secure a 1–1 draw despite playing almost the entire of the second half with defender Bobby Faulkner in goal following an injury to goalkeeper Harrison Male. This was followed by a 0–0 draw with local rivals Crewe Alexandra at a rain-soaked Vale Park. As the transfer window closed, the club signed 23-year-old attacker Maleace Asamoah on loan from Wigan Athletic and 20-year-old Honduras international forward Keyrol Figueroa on loan from Liverpool. Later that night, Vale went one goal up at Swindon Town within two minutes, but ended up losing 3–1 and falling to the bottom of the table for only the second time since 1981. The week ended with Smith allowing a free-kick to roll through his hands and into the net to gift struggling Salford City a 1–0 win at Moor Lane. A Byers penalty secured a 1–0 home win over Exeter City, the Vale's first win of the season. The club took the decision to postpone two league fixtures due to international commitments to allow injured players more time to recover. Before heading into a three-week break from league football, the team lost 2–0 at nearby Walsall.
Finances The club froze season ticket prices for a third consecutive season. The club spent £2 million improving the pitch to a hybrid turf system and improving the training pitches, paid for by the Shanahan family. The shirts were sponsored by celebrity supporter Robbie Williams. The club also gained £180,000 from Ben Waine's presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Over 6,400 season tickets were sold at Vale Park. Lee Darnbrough, Senior Head of Recruitment, left the club in September 2026 after a year in the role. Micky Moore was appointed as Sporting Director the following month.
Cup competitions Vale were beaten 3–0 by Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers in the first round of the EFL Cup, conceding all three goals in the first half whilst Faal missed a penalty in the second half.
The EFL Trophy campaign started with a 1–1 draw at Chesterfield, as Onel Hernández's first goal for the club was cancelled out in the 69th minute, with Chesterfield winning the penalty shoot-out. Following a two weeks without a match due to the international break, a strong Vale team defeated Mansfield Town by two goals to nil.
Results
Pre-season
EFL League Two
League table
Results by matchday
Matches On 25 June, the League Two fixtures were revealed.
FA Cup
EFL Cup
EFL Trophy
Group stage
Vale were drawn against Mansfield Town, Chesterfield and Manchester City U21 into Northern Group D.
Squad statistics Appearances and goals
Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
|colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season:
Top scorers
PlacePositionNationNumberNameLeague TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyTotal1MF7George Byers200022FW11Onel Hernández00011–FW14Oli Lynch10001–FW27Maleace Asamoah00011––––Own goals00011TOTALS30036
Disciplinary record
NumberNationPositionNameLeague TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyTotal6DFJordan Gabriel200010104010MFKyle Dempsey30000000308MFBen Garrity30000000307MFGeorge Byers200000002015DFLiam Gordon100000001033MFGeorge Hall10000000103DFJaheim Headley000000101025DFCameron Humphreys100000001012DFAaron McGowan000000101022DFLewis Montsma10000000104DFJasper Moon1000000010TOTALS150001020180 Sourced from Soccerway.
Transfers
Transfers in Date from Pos. Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 19 June 2026 GK Jackson Smith Barnsley Undisclosed 1 July 2026 CDM Matthew Craig Tottenham Hotspur Free transfer 1 July 2026 CM Kyle Dempsey Bolton Wanderers Free transfer 1 July 2026 CB Jasper Moon Burton Albion Free transfer 16 July 2026 CF Max Watters Barnsley Free transfer 31 July 2026 CB Aaron McGowan Tranmere Rovers Free transfer 31 July 2026 CB Lewis Montsma Dundee Free transfer 4 August 2026 CF Tyreece Simpson Stevenage Free transfer
Transfers out Date from Pos. Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 23 June 2026 LM Jordan Shipley Cheltenham Town Mutual termination 25 June 2026 CF Ruari Paton St Johnstone Undisclosed 30 June 2026 GK Ben Amos Burnley Released 30 June 2026 RB Mitch Clark Swindon Town Released 30 June 2026 GK Arron Davies Cardiff Met Released 30 June 2026 CB Jesse Debrah Released 30 June 2026 CF Andre Gray Released 30 June 2026 LB Sam Hart Released 30 June 2026 CB Ben Heneghan Released 30 June 2026 CB Ben Lomax Chester Released 30 June 2026 CB Tyler Magloire Released 30 June 2026 CM Funso Ojo Released 30 June 2026 CM Grant Ward Released 31 July 2026 CAM Rico Richards Southend United Undisclosed 5 August 2026 CF Jayden Stockley AFC Wimbledon Undisclosed
Loaned in Date from Pos. Nationality Name From Date until Ref. 6 July 2026 GK Mason Terry West Ham United 1 September 2026 8 July 2026 CF Mo Faal Wrexham End of Season 8 July 2026 CF Oli Lynch Luton Town End of Season 1 September 2026 LW Maleace Asamoah Wigan Athletic End of Season 1 September 2026 CF Keyrol Figueroa Liverpool End of Season
Loaned out Date from Pos. Nationality Name To Date until Ref. 28 July 2026 LWB Jack Shorrock Sligo Rovers 30 October 2026 24 August 2026 CF Eddie Lake Stourbridge 24 September 2026 24 August 2026 CF Clayton Malbon Kidsgrove Athletic 24 August 2026 CF Miracle Orisakwe Southport 24 September 2026 24 August 2026 CB Joe Williams Bradford (Park Avenue) 9 September 2026 5 September 2026 GK Keaton Moseley Kidsgrove Athletic 5 October 2026 9 September 2026 CB Joe Williams Lower Breck
References