Port Vale have made their first signing of the summer, and boss Darren Moore could not be happier.
According to Moore, the Valiants beat off strong competition to sign Irish international winger Ronan Curtis, who has signed a three-year deal at Vale Park.
The move was greeted with delight by supporters, who will be glad of the intention shown by Moore and owner Carol Shanahan in getting the deal done so early.
Fans will expect to see their new hero in person when Vale plays local teams Newcastle Town, Kidsgrove Athletic, and Leek Town between July 5 and July 10. Curtis will report to his new teammates on July 1.
Vale strike despite League One interest in Curtis
Moore was obviously thrilled to add a player with years of experience at the top of League One to his League Two promotion hopefuls.
On the official club website, he stated: “I am thrilled to have Ronan join the Vale. We are extremely happy that he has decided to make a long-term commitment to the club despite having substantial interest from League One and League Two. He is a player with a proven caliber above League Two level.
“His technical skill and experience as a player are excellent. I’m sure that our supporters will enjoy the exciting dynamic that Ronan’s versatility brings to the team, and I am eager to welcome him to the team.”
Moore is also not in error. Curtis, a former Portsmouth player who was sidelined due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, was still being connected to Championship teams Blackburn Rovers, Cardiff, and Bristol City less than a year ago.
Despite being without a contract and having declined a reduced agreement with Pompey, Curtis continued to practice with the squad he had so successfully represented for five seasons. “We’re certainly not ruling that out (Curtis having a Pompey future),” stated John Mousinho at the time.
“The club and Ronan had different opinions on how they saw it, but in my opinion, it would be good to keep him around for another year to see if he could return.
“I still feel the same way about it, even though it’s clear that we couldn’t resolve it. Ronan Curtis is a wonderful asset if you can get him back on track and fired.”
Winger wobbles since Worrall went
Supporters of Port Vale will also be happy that Curtis’s arrival should bring wingers back to Vale Park.
Former manager Andy Crosby chose to play with wing-backs, mainly ignoring the enormous wide pitch at the ‘Wembley of the North’. When Moore joined the team in February, the only player on loan who was considered an all-around winger was Alex Mighten.
Even though Vale had trouble scoring goals, it’s possible that their inability to get wide portions of the field contributed just as much as their attackers’ obvious misses. With their wing-backs and full-backs pushed back, Vale found it difficult to generate any creativity from wide areas.
Vale haven’t had a wide player capable of crossing into the box since the summer of 2023, when fan favorite David Worrall left. That department should see a noticeable change with Curtis’s arrival.
Curtis a consistent source of goals and assists
Throughout his tenure at Portsmouth, Curtis was incredibly reliable in terms of appearances, goals, and assists. The Irishman made 226 appearances in all competitions over the course of five seasons, scoring 57 goals.
He was well known for his skill on the left wing, where he could cut in and set up opportunities for his Pompey teammates or score goals from a distance.
Curtis signed a short-term contract with AFC Wimbledon in January after recovering from an injury, and he immediately made history with the team by defeating MK Dons in the final seconds of play.
Curtis won the club’s goal of the month title in January, February, March, and April. That goal was selected the team’s goal of the season.
The player with eight full Ireland caps made a fantastic recovery from a terrible injury, and as he begins his Port Vale career, he will hope that the worst is behind him.
With the arrival of a quality player, Vale supporters’ summer has begun early and they are dreaming again of wing wonders and an immediate return to the third division.
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