Port Vale FC are delighted to announce that Academy graduate, Ben Lomax, has signed his first professional deal with the club.
The contract will see the 18-year-old remain with the Valiants until, at least, the summer of 2026.
Lomax, who has been with the club since U15s, made an impressive professional debut for the club against Wrexham in November of 2023 before going on to be awarded his league debut later on in the season against Barnsley at Vale Park by Manager, Andy Crosby.
Speaking of Ben Lomax's first professional contract, Port Vale FC Manager, Andy Crosby, said:
"I am delighted for Ben. Through his hard work, incredible attitude and performances on the pitch, he has thoroughly earned his first professional deal.
"With the way that he has conducted and applied himself since being in and around the First Team over the past few months, Ben has become a leading example of what can be achieved through hard work and an undying will to improve to all age groups within the Academy.
"Like we touched on with Baylee, it's imperative that players within our Academy see a clear pathway into our First Team, if they are good enough, and we have once again highlighted exactly that with Ben.
"Myself, along with all of the First Team staff, are excited to continue to work with Ben and to develop him into the player that we all know he can be."
Port Vale FC's Academy Director, Will Ryder, said:
"First of all, myself and everyone within the Academy are all incredibly proud of Ben signing his first professional contract with the club.
"The way that he has grown both as a footballer and as a person within our Academy speaks volumes of Ben as a person and the fantastic support system that he has within his family and our incredible Academy staff.
"Since I've been at the club, I've always spoken about how important it is that deserving Academy players have a clear pathway and connection to the First Team and Ben has taken every opportunity that has come his way with both hands. What most won't see is the way that Ben consistently pushes and challenges himself behind the scenes and on the training pitch every single day of the week and this contract is a testament to that.
"Ben, along with Baylee, are prime examples of seeing their incredible hard work and dedication to themselves as professionals and to the club on and off the pitch pay off with their first pro contracts and we are incredibly proud of both lads.
"I am really excited to continue to watch both Ben and Baylee continue their development with the First Team and to go on to fulfill their potential."
Port Vale FC's Director of Football, David Flitcroft, said:
"Ben has achieved his professional contract through hard work and dedication. He then needed an opportunity, which he got when we played against Wrexham in the EFL Trophy.
"He took that opportunity, playing with no fear and blew us away. This, along with his attitude and application, gave him his next opportunity, which he grasped, making his league debut.
"His performances since coming up to the First Team and his development as a player have earned him a professional contract at this club.
"Throughout my career as an Assistant Manager, Manager and Director of Football, you have to deliver bad news to people at times, but some of the best days in football for me are the days that I get to deliver great news to a family and a player as deserving as Ben.
"The pride from his Mum and his Dad will make it a day that I am sure they will always remember."
We chatted with Ben's Mum, Simone, who discussed their journey through the Academy and her pride in her son:
"As a family, we are extremely proud of Ben. There's a lot of hard work that has gone in and continues to go into this journey, he is now continuing that journey and he needs to continue his hard work, but as I mentioned, as a family, we are incredibly proud.
"At the club, we have always been made to feel as though we can approach anybody. I have always had a nice, warm feeling from everybody at Port Vale since Ben joined the Academy. He was a late starter at U15s but ever since then, we have always been made to feel as though we can approach anybody if we have any questions and there is always support there, should we need it.
"We have seen another level of maturity in Ben since he has been with the club. One of the great things about Port Vale is that they instill such good discipline and values and make the players within the Academy such humble people. That has definitely carried through with Ben and we have seen him grow so much as a person, as well as a footballer since he has been with the club."