VALIANTS COMPLETE MOVE FOR DEFENDER
Clark joins Vale on loan once again to help to solve defensive dilemma
MITCH Clark is back at Port Vale after the club completed his loan deal from Premier League side Leicester City.
The popular 21-year-old fullback returns to Vale Park for a third loan spell having signed a deal until January.
Vale moved swiftly after James Gibbons suffered a hamstring injury in Tuesday’s 3-1 EFL Trophy win at Wigan Athletic.
Gibbons is expected to be out for the first half of the season and his absence left Vale without a recognised right-back for this afternoon’s League Two home game with Carlisle United.
Vale’s other specialist in the position, Zak Mills, is expected to be out for another two to three weeks, also with a hamstring injury.
Centre-half Nathan Smith can play at right-back, but he is isolating until after the Carlisle game because a family member has tested positive for Covid-19.
Clark was top of manager John Askey’s list of targets once he got the go ahead to bring in a defender.
The youngster, who can play right or left-back, played 45 games on loan at Vale from Aston Villa in the 2018/19 campaign having been recruited by Neil Aspin.
He moved on a free transfer to Leicester at the end of that season, but returned to Vale on loan in January this year.
His game time was limited because he had to serve a threematch suspension and the season was cut short at the start of March.
But he was arguably a contender for man of the match in each of the four games he played for Vale in that second loan spell.
Because Clark only turned 21 this year, his wages do not count towards the salary cap limit under new rules agreed by League Two clubs in the summer.
But the deal still represents further financial support from Vale owners Carol and Kevin Shanahan.
Vale hadn’t planned on making signings before the transfer deadline on October 16, but the injuries to Mills and Gibbons prompted a rethink.
Clark has been playing for Leicester City’s under-23s this season and has been nominated for their league’s player of the month award for September.
The defender will wear number 17 and go straight into the squad for the Carlisle game.
He told the Vale website: “It feels good to be back, it’s my third spell so I’m used to the lads and used to the atmosphere around the training ground and looking forward to it.
“With the lads out [through injury], I’m looking to step in and fill the spot and keep up the good work the team have been doing.
“When you get a sniff of playing league football you don’t want to stop.
“I want to be playing league football, it’s as simple as that and it’s my goal to get as high as possible in my career.”
Askey’s Vale are back in league action for the first time since losing their unbeaten record in a 1-0 defeat at high-flying Morecambe.