Port Vale chairman heaps praise on young Smith

Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite has admitted he is expecting a lot of interest in young defender Nathan Smith.

The 20-year-old, who came through the youth ranks at Vale, spent last season on loan in the National League with Torquay, but has now returned to his boyhood club and played an integral role in their impressive start to the season.

He has established himself at the heart of Bruno Ribeiro’s defence, and has even chipped in with three goals, showing how effective he is at both ends of the pitch.

Chairman Smurthwaite said: “You could see he’s come back a man from being at Torquay for a year.”

“He is being scouted by some Championship clubs as we speak so I anticipate that there will be some interest in the window, I don’t think it will be at the end of the season.”

With his impressive form catching the eye of suitors higher up the leagues, Smurthwaite is already planning a new contract offer for Smith, with his current deal set to finish at the end of this season.

It would mean a rise in wages, as Smurthwaite has already admitted he is on ‘boys wages’ compared to the rest of the squad, but that is little more than the young Valiants man deserves.

The chairman said: “There will be discussions and I suspect something will happen between now and October, but that is only fair to him because he is holding down a first-team place.

“There is nothing we can do until the window anyway and I suspect because of the scouting that is going on, somebody will make an offer for him in January.

“So the new contract is not that critical, but that is not to say that we shouldn’t harness the talent of what we have by locking him up for a bit longer.”