Nathan Smith

Nathan James Smith, a centre‑back born in Madeley, Staffordshire, rose through Port Vale’s youth ranks and turned professional in June 2014. He spent successful loan spells at Stafford Rangers and Torquay United, winning Torquay’s Player of the Season award in 2015–16. He made his Football League debut in August 2016 and was later named Port Vale’s Player of the Year for the 2016–17 and 2022–23 seasons. He helped Port Vale gain promotion from League Two via the play-offs in 2022 and again via automatic promotion in 2024–25. In May 2025, Smith signed a two‑year deal with Tranmere Rovers, reuniting with manager Andy Crosby, who described him as “a leader, a warrior…”

A commanding defender known for his consistency, leadership and bravery, Smith has made over 370 league appearances for Port Vale by May 2025. His style is characterised by physical strength, positional awareness and disciplined defending—earning praise from teammates as a “nightmare” opponent and boasting a strong disciplinary record (just one red card in 370 appearances). He has also served as club captain and co‑founded a local coaching charity in his community, showing leadership on and off the field