Six of our young Valiants are currently on loan at various clubs across England and Ireland. Here's how they've been getting on!
Jack Shorrock
Currently on loan at Sligo Rovers in the Irish top flight, our youngest-ever goalscorer has started in eight games across all competitions for Rovers since his arrival. Shorrock has been described as their “main threat” in a match report following Sligo’s affair with Waterford last month. His next match is against St Patrick’s Athletic on the 19th September, where Jack will hope to make it nine starts from nine.
Keaton Moseley
Moseley joined Step 4 side, Kidsgrove Athletic, and is getting plenty of senior minutes between the sticks. He has started four consecutive matches for Matt Rhead's side and was considered vital in the Chasetown match, making an important save before half-time, helping his side to secure all three points.
Clayton Malbon
Like Keaton Moseley, Clayton Malbon has also moved to Kidsgrove Athletic on loan, where he too has been getting regular first-team football. The 18-year-old winger is doing well, getting consistent minutes under his belt, with his next match being against Padiham on the 19th September.
Joe Williams
Since joining Lower Breck on the 10th of September, Williams has slotted immediately into the first team and has started his first two games for the Step 4 side, winning the Player of the Match award on his debut.
His next game sees his side host Chester in the Emirates FA Cup on the 19th September.
Miracle Orisakwe
Orisakwe moved to National League North side, Southport, on a one-month loan deal. The 18-year-old has made two substitute appearances for the Sandgrouders against Scarborough Athletic and Hereford, receiving positive reviews for his direct and attacking style of play.
Eddie Lake
Eddie Lake recently went on loan to Stourbridge in Step 3 of the non-league pyramid. While he’s yet to make an appearance for the Southern League Premier Division Central, Lake did make the matchday squad for their 2-2 draw with Leiston on the 22nd August.
Speaking to BBC Radio Stoke's Phil Bowers, Port Vale Head of Academy, Danny Lloyd, said:
"The first one I want to talk about is Joe Williams. He made his debut for Lower Breck on Saturday and won Player of the Match, so I'm really pleased for him to start off on the right foot in senior football. He's a really intense lad and a young professional and he needs that; he needs to be part of a team and he is a leader who shows really good leadership skills. Hopefully he can sustain it now and get some really valuable minutes before Christmas.
"We have Miracle, who is at Southport and has come on a few times, but it's the FA Cup at the weekend, so he's going to be back with us and hopefully get a well-needed 90 minutes at Blackpool away. He's got pace and power, but he is quite raw when it comes to receiving the ball, but is really exciting as well. He gets you off your seat. He's come off the bench twice at Step 2 and ultimately changed the game in both games and been really positive. Their manager's feedback has been excellent about him about how he's affected the games.
"Clayton Malbon and Keaton Moseley have been doing really well at Kidsgrove at Step 4, both starting regularly, so really pleasing. It's really difficult at 18 to be playing senior football as a goalkeeper, but to be playing at Step 4 is brilliant for him and he's coming on all of the time. He's performing really well in training at Kidsgrove and he's training with the first team here, so we've got that training balance right with him.
"I went over to Dublin to watch Jack against Bohemians. He started and played really well in an unbelievable atmosphere out there. He was playing in front of the main stand for a lot of it at left wing back, so that loan has actually been really good for him. He's really enjoying it; I've spoken to him three or four times over the last few weeks. The standard is right for him at the moment. He wishes to be back here as soon as possible, but these experiences are brilliant for him."
The full interview between Phil and Danny can be listened to on BBC Sounds here.
Written by: Rex Spiller, student at Stoke-on-Trent College.