Richard Duffy: Port Vale defender signs new two-year contract

Vale defender Richard Duffy has been signed four times by Micky Adams

Port Vale defender Richard Duffy has signed a new two-year contract with the League One club.

The 28-year-old much-travelled Welshman, who moved to Vale Park from Exeter City in July 2012, is now tied to the Valiants until June 2016.

"I have been in negotiations with the club for a few weeks," said Duffy. "And I am over the moon to be staying at the club for the next two seasons."

But striker Jordan Hugill, 22, has rejected the offer of a new contract.

Hugill, who was signed a year ago from Marske United, scored five goals for Vale last season, four of them after coming off the bench, following a productive early season loan at Conference Premier side Gateshead, in which he netted five times in four starts.

He is now likely to move on this summer, in which case Vale would be due a fee. But, if he moves out of English football - with some interest understood to be coming from Scotland - the club would miss out on compensation for the striker.

"It's disappointing, considering what the club has done for him," Vale boss Micky Adams told BBC Radio Stoke.

After starting his career at Swansea, Duffy spent five years at Portsmouth.

He then moved on, via a short stay at Millwall, to spend three seasons with Exeter City. But, if he sees out his contract to do four years at Vale Park, it will mean his longest unbroken spell at any club.

During his time at Pompey, he went out on loan to Burnley, back to Swansea and four times to Coventry City - the first three of his stays at the Ricoh Arena coming when Adams was Sky Blues boss.

"I am delighted that Duffs has committed his immediate future to the club," said Adams, who still has to agree new deals with defender Joe Davis and young winger Ryan Lloyd.

Duffy, who has been on a Football Association A licence coaching course since the season ended, follows the lead of fellow defender Carl Dickinson, goalkeeper Chris Neal and midfielders Chris Lines and Chris Birchall in signing new deals.

But, of the 10 out-of-contract players to whom new deals were offered, Adams has lost skipper Doug Loft to Gillingham and winger Jennison Myrie-Williams to Scunthorpe United.

Vale made their first summer signing last week when they brought in Mansfield Town utility player Colin Daniel.