Vale legend Nathan Smith to leave the club this summer
As Nathan Smith prepares to bid farewell to the club following 16 stellar years of service, everyone at Port Vale would like to express their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to our departing number six.
Fearless, committed and uncompromising, ‘Smudge’ has continually personified everything you could want in a Valiant during his time at the club, and will deservedly go down as a modern-day club legend.
A two-time Player of the Season and two-time promotion winner at Vale Park, the local lad has more than 400 appearances to his name in the famous black and white, having first come up through the ranks in the Vale Academy.
Smudge signed his first professional contract at the club in June 2014, impressing on loan at both Stafford Rangers and Torquay United, going on to be named Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season during his time with the latter.
His league debut for the Valiants came on the opening day of the 2016/17 campaign, against Bradford City, followed by his first goal just 10 days later, in a 1-0 win over Rochdale.
The defender would make no fewer than 53 appearances in all competitions that season, and also featured in all 54 matches in 2017/18. By March 2019, he had reached 150 appearances for the club before the age of 23, the youngest player to reach the landmark since Billy Paynter in 2005, and he was named as Vale's Young Player of the Year for the second time in three years at the end of the campaign.
Smith signed a new two-year deal with the club in July 2020 and went on to make a further 50 appearances in 2020/21, and was a key part of the side that won promotion the following season, starting in that famous win over Mansfield Town at Wembley Stadium. His contract was extended by a further 12 months that summer.
Smudge won consecutive Player of the Month awards in December 2022 and January 2023, signing a new two-year contract in the April and later being named Vale’s Player of the Season for the 2022/23 campaign, having missed just one game.
Smith was named captain ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, one during which he made his 400th appearance for the club, and featured a further 27 times this season, helping Vale secure an instant return to League One.
Vale manager, Darren Moore, said: “Nathan Smith has been an incredible servant to this football club and leaves with our very best wishes. I’m sure I speak on behalf of every Vale supporter when I say he will forever be part of the club.
“It’s hard for us all to say goodbye to such a top player and important character, but we feel this is the right time for Smudge to take on a new challenge.
“For this season to end in promotion is fitting, and we’re all delighted for him that he’s departing on the back of such a fantastic achievement for the club.”
Port Vale Chief Executive, Matt Hancock, added: “It’s tough to sum up what Nathan means to Vale, and equally what Vale means to him.
“He can be so proud of what he’s achieved at the club and I have no doubt we’ll still see him back at Vale Park regularly.
“Everyone connected with the club thanks him for his incredible time here and wishes him nothing but the best for the future.”
Thank you, Smudge.