Port Vale FC are delighted to announce that Academy graduate, Baylee Dipepa, has signed his first professional deal with the club.
The deal will see Baylee remain at Vale Park until at least the summer of 2026.
The 2023/24 campaign marked the breakthrough season for the recently-turned 17-year-old who already has several First Team appearances to his name across a number of competitions.
Dipepa has had a storied rise through the youth ranks at Vale Park since signing with the Valiants at 8 years old and going on to join the Valiants' U9s age group almost a decade ago.
Speaking of Dipepa's first professional deal with the Valiants, Port Vale FC Manager Andy Crosby said:
"I am really pleased that Baylee has agreed his first professional deal with the club.
"He has been involved with the First Team setup for a number of months now across training and several fixtures. The way that he has adapted to the environment and the way that he has conducted and applied himself is an absolute credit to Baylee and his family. It speaks volumes of the determination and drive that he has to succeed.
"It’s really important that there is a pathway for Academy players through to the First Team if they are good enough. Baylee has proven he has the potential to have a career as a professional footballer. Myself, along with all the First Team staff, all look forward to continuing to work with him to further his development on and off the pitch."
Port Vale FC's Director of Football David Flitcroft added:
"Professional contracts at this club are not given, they're earned and Baylee has certainly earned his.
"His profile as a player is an exciting one, he possesses a lot of attributes and qualities required to be a successful striker in the modern game.
"If he continues his hard work and focus, there is no ceiling to what he can achieve at the club.
"On a personal note, getting to know the family throughout this process has been a privilege and feeling how much it means to the whole family when we delivered the good news was a really special moment."
We caught up with Baylee's Mum, Laura, who spoke of her pride in her son's first professional contract:
"We are absolutely over the moon. He has been at the club since he was eight and we never thought that we would be hearing the words coming out of anybody's mouth that they wanted to offer my son a professional football contract. I cried, it was emotional and it took me a good few days to get my head around it all!
"We are proud beyond belief of everything that he has achieved, within the last six months especially, through his hard work and dedication.
"The level of coaching and strategy that has been put into place since the Shanahans took over and Will Ryder was brought in has changed the Academy beyond belief. I'll always be grateful to the previous setup within the Academy for showing their faith in Baylee all those years ago, but I have seen the Academy evolve. I have seen the level of recruitment and quality of coaching evolve, which has helped Baylee with his development and he has since been able to develop himself within that.
"The opportunities that the lads have been afforded, such as going on tour with the First Team in Spain, being awarded his cup debut and then going on to make his league debut have been incredible.
"The club has always been open and honest with their feedback, they have always told us where Baylee needed to develop and I've pushed him to his limits to do so. I've spent very cold and wet evenings down at Dimensions and to see it pay off into a professional contract is just a dream come true and full credit to Baylee."