The 2025–26 season is the 114th season in the history of Port Vale Football Club and their first season back in League One since the 2023–24 season, following their promotion from League Two in the preceding season.
Manager Darren Moore signed nine permanent and three loan players, whilst allowing eight to leave and being forced to sell top scorer Lorent Tolaj to Plymouth Argyle after a release clause was triggered. They collected just two points from their opening six league games, though they did qualify for the third round of the EFL Cup, where they had a home tie with Arsenal. Vale put in a creditable performance in defeat to Arsenal, whilst claiming three straight league wins at the end of September as new signing Devante Cole hit form immediately. Only one goal scored in four October league games saw the Vale drop into the relegation zone. With one point and zero goals scored in November, the Vale fell to the bottom of the division. Moore left the club with Vale ten points from safety following a 5–0 defeat at Huddersfield Town on Boxing Day. He was succeeded by Jon Brady.
Brady oversaw progress in the cups and trimmed the squad in the January transfer window, though he lost top scorer Devante Cole in a late move. The team were beaten only once in six games in February, though they added only seven points to their tally and remained rooted to the bottom of the table. Despite indifferent league form continuing, Vale defeated Premier League side Sunderland to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for only the second time in the club's history. Back to the league and they were relegated with three games left to play, with 12 players released and a further four transfer listed.
Overview EFL League One CEO Matt Hancock said that he believed the club were in a stronger position than when they had last gained promotion ahead of the 2022–23 season. In celebration of the club's 150th anniversary, the home kit was based on the classic strip from the 1953–54 'Iron Curtain' season, in which the club reached the FA Cup semi-finals and conceded just 26 goals throughout a 46-game season. It was also confirmed that the kit would not display a front-of-shirt sponsor to maintain the retro look. The away kit was based on that worn by the 1958–59 title-winning team. The first signing of the summer was right-sided defender Jordan Gabriel, who joined on an initial two-year contract after being released by Blackpool. Attacking midfielder Rico Richards, who had played 27 league games on loan at Vale the previous season, was signed to a two-year deal after being released by Aston Villa. He would later join League Two side Walsall on loan for the season. Liam Gordon, a 26-year-old left-back capped at international level by Guyana, then chose to leave Walsall to sign for Vale on a two-year deal. Midfielder Jordan Shipley also signed a two-year contract after being released by relegated Shrewsbury Town. Bookmakers had the Vale pegged as relegation strugglers, though supporters were optimistic of a mid-table finish. The fifth summer signing was announced as 26-year-old central defender Cameron Humphreys, who rejected a contract offer from Rotherham United to join Vale on a two-year deal. The club ended June by announcing the signings of Slovak goalkeeper Marko Maroši and New Zealand international forward Ben Waine, who had been released by Cambridge United and Plymouth Argyle respectively, both signing for Vale on two-year deals.
The season opened with a 2–1 defeat at Rotherham United as the Vale were two goals and one man down on 32 minutes after Jaheim Headley was sent off for a knee-high challenge; Vale looked stronger after three half-time changes and a switch away from the 3–4–3 formation. On 7 August, Darren Moore signed 22-year-old Gambian striker Mo Faal on a season-long loan from Wrexham. Later that day, Vale picked up their first point of the season after playing out a 0–0 draw at home to Cardiff City. The following week, on 11 August, Vale signed 25-year-old Australian international goalkeeper Joe Gauci on a season-long loan from Aston Villa, with Moore hoping to provide "strong competition in the goalkeeping department" in the absence of veteran stopper Ben Amos through injury. Another clean sheet and point were gained at Burton Albion five days later, despite captain George Byers being sent off after 15 minutes for a strong challenge on Charlie Webster. The club appealed the red card, however, the original decision was upheld by an FA Regulatory Commission. Vale were heading to a one nil home victory over Stevenage until they conceded two Jamie Reid goals after 87 minutes to lose the game. They then lost top-scorer Lorent Tolaj to league rivals Plymouth Argyle after Argyle activated a "substantial release clause" in his Vale contract. This fee was reported to be £1.2 million. A 1–0 home defeat to Doncaster Rovers followed as the visitors took control of the game in the second half. Vale went on to bring 19-year-old forward Dajaune Brown on loan from Derby County. He came off the bench as Vale fell to a 1–0 defeat at Reading, the hosts taking all three points with a 66th-minute Paddy Lane strike.
Moore made two signings on transfer deadline day, bringing in experienced striker Devante Cole on a free transfer from West Bromwich Albion and midfielder George Hall from Birmingham City for an undisclosed fee. Cole provided an assist and scored on his debut at home to Leyton Orient on 6 September, though could not prevent his new side slipping to another defeat at Charlie Wellens scored the winning goal five minutes into stoppage-time for his father's team. Richie Wellens sympathised with Moore, saying he must have run over a black cat. The first league win was achieved with a 2–0 victory at Exeter City, as the new strike partnership of Cole and Paton secured a goal each after capitlising on mistakes by the home team. A second win followed at home to Mansfield Town, who had their captain Ryan Sweeney sent off after 14 minutes, though it took a stoppage-time Ronan Curtis penalty to secure the three points and Moore had some "choice words" for his players in the dressing room for conceding a sloppy goal. A 2–0 victory at Barnsley secured the Vale a third consecutive win in the league and a solid performance ensured that Gauci did not have a save to make throughout.
The winning run was halted by Northampton Town, who held the Valiants to a goalless draw at Vale Park on 4 October. Vale gained a point on the road seven days later as Cole struck an equaliser four minutes from full-time to prevent former Valiant Antwoine Hackford from winning three points for AFC Wimbledon. With the club facing an injury crisis in the wing-back position, Moore signed 34-year-old free agent Marvin Johnson to a short-term contract. They slipped to a 1–0 defeat at Wigan Athletic despite having a man advantage for the entire second half after Dara Costelloe was sent off for a high foot. A 3–0 home defeat to league leaders Stockport County in front of the television cameras left Vale in the relegation zone.
On 8 November, Vale fell to a 4–0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers despite having had a bright start to the match. The run of defeats came to an end with a goalless draw at home to Wycombe Wanderers. However, a 1–0 home defeat to Plymouth Argyle, the goal scored by Tolaj, saw Vale replace Plymouth at the bottom of the division and supporters called for Darren Moore to be sacked. Matt Hancock gave a lengthy interview backing Moore, saying that the board saw "signs that we can win football games". Jayden Stockley told the media that the players had organised a meeting with Moore and the coaching staff to discuss how to improve performances on the pitch. A 1–0 defeat at Lincoln City followed, a club record sixth consecutive league game without a goal scored.
On 13 December, Vale came from a goal down to lead 2–1 at Luton Town, only to end the game with a point following a Luton equaliser. Ben Amos made only his second league appearance of the season following back-to-back clean sheets in the cup competitions, whilst Ben Waine scored in his third straight game after also having a run of success in the cups. Waine's strike ended Vale's club record time of consecutive league time without a goal at 9 hours and 46 minutes. They then slipped to a 1–0 defeat at home to Peterborough United as Harry Leonard scored a late goal following a tight game. This equalled a club record of five home league games without scoring a goal. They travelled to Huddersfield Town on Boxing Day and were taken apart by five goals to nil, their heaviest defeat of the season. This proved to be the end for Darren Moore, with Jamie Smith being put in caretaker charge on 28 December. Smith took charge of a 1–0 defeat at Bradford City the following day.
Vale started 2026 with a 5–1 win at Blackpool after the hosts were reduced to 10 men just before half-time and proved unable to hold their one-goal lead. Ironically, the game also saw them extend into a club record 471 minutes without a home league goal and ended with them scoring five goals in one half of a league game for the first time since December 1960. Former Northampton Town manager Jon Brady was appointed as the club's new head coach on 6 January. Ronan Curtis left the club shortly afterwards on an undisclosed transfer to Plymouth Argyle. Vale initially looked strong at Mansfield Town on 17 January, though conceded two goals early in the second half and went on to lose the game by three goals to nil. The club brought in 23-year-old winger Ethon Archer on loan from Luton Town. The club celebrated their 150th anniversary with a 3–1 home defeat to Exeter City as yet again a promising start turned into a complete collapse once the opposition opened the scoring. Pundit Adam Yates commented that in the match "every single trait you would look for from a player was a zero out of 10". Brady brought in Tyler Magloire, a centre-back who played for him at Northampton Town, who had started the campaign with non-League side Workington. The club's top-scorer, Devante Cole, was sold to Luton Town on 31 January. Despite this, the team won at Leyton Orient, with the game's only goal coming from John in the second minute.
The club brought in defender Eli Campbell and forward Martin Sherif on loan from Everton. Former Premier League striker Andre Gray also came in on a free transfer following a spell with Turkish club Fatih Karagümrük. Vale then fell to a narrow 1–0 home defeat by AFC Wimbledon, in a game of few chances. They then drew 2–2 at home with Burton Albion, with Jake Beesley scoring a brace to equalise twice for the visitors. Following this, Brady signed two players from free agency: 33-year-old Cuba international winger Onel Hernández and 31-year-old midfielder Grant Ward. Stockley put the Vale ahead at Stevenage, though the hosts soon came back and won the match by two goals to one in a game married by a serious injury to goalscorer Harry Cornick. Gray had an equalising goal ruled out just before half-time in a decision that Brady said "for the life of me I don't understand it". Sherif then scored on his home debut to earn a 1–1 draw with Reading. Brady came away from former club Northampton Town with three points, with Stockley scoring the only goal of the game in first half stoppage-time as the home support booed their manager Kevin Nolan. Vale then picked up another point, drawing 1–1 at home with Luton Town.