James Wilson: Port Vale play-off winning striker latest to leave Valiants
- Published
James Wilson scored 19 goals in 74 appearances for Port Vale
James Wilson, another member of Port Vale's play-off winning side last season, is leaving the League One club.
The striker, 27, was among five players who were in talks over new deals, but will now leave Vale Park when his current contract expires.
Wilson scored Vale's second goal in the 3-0 win over Mansfield Town in the League Two play-off final last May.
The departures of two other promotion-winning players - Tom Pett and Jamie Proctor - were announced last week.
Wilson arrived in Burslem from Salford City in the summer of 2021 and scored 15 goals that season - including an FA Cup hat-trick against Accrington and netting in each of his last four games of the campaign as the Valiants secured their promotion to League One at Wembley.
He found goals harder to come by this term, scoring four times in 25 league games as Vale flirted with relegation before finishing 18th, four points clear of the drop zone.
Vale director of football, David Flitcroft, said, external the club wanted to "thank James for his contributions at Vale Park, especially the part he played in helping us to achieve our place in League One through the play-offs last season.
"We'd like to also thank him for his professionalism and commitment, which he showed during his time here and we wish him nothing but success in the future."
Defenders Dan Jones and Mal Benning and midfielders David Worrall and Ben Garrity are still in talks over new deals as the re-shaping of the squad continues under new boss Andy Crosby.