'Statement of intent': How ex-Portsmouth favourite's shock transfer has reinvigorated a demoralised club

He’s the ‘statement signing’ and poster boy recruited to reinvigorate a demoralised fanbase following League One relegation.

Most important of all, Ronan Curtis is perceived as the potential catalyst to Port Vale’s promotion ambition as they aim to swiftly bounce back.

The former Fratton Park favourite was eyed by Championship trio Blackburn, Cardiff and Bristol City while starring on the left wing for Pompey during two play-off campaigns.

He totalled 57 goals in 226 appearances over a five-year stay on the south coast, before effectively leaving last summer at the end of his contract.

After impressing at AFC Wimbledon during the second half of last season, Curtis has remained in League Two after penning a three-year deal with Port Vale, becoming their first signing of the summer.

And the 28-year-old’s arrival has definitely captured the attention of the Vale Park faithful, according to Mike Baggaley, Port Vale reporter for The Valiant newsletter.

He told The News: ‘Fans have seen this as a statement signing. The club were hoping to get a decent name signed early in the summer, just to give everybody a bit of a lift after the season we’ve just had.

‘The issue Vale have is 16 of the relegation squad is under contract. They will be looking to move at least 3-4 of those on, but the concern was things could drag on into the summer.

‘In turn, the fears were they wouldn’t really be able to make much of a commitment in terms of transfers - but obviously they have. This has gone down really well.

‘Darren Moore came in in February, just after the transfer window, so Ronan Curtis is his first signing. To get a winger with his goal record is a real boost.

‘Port Vale have a tradition of good wingers, Vale Park is famously a bit of a big pitch, wingers tend to enjoy it here.

‘In the club’s best years in the 1990s, they had really good wingers like Jon McCarthy, Steve Guppy and Gareth Ainsworth, who remain club legends. So fans of a certain age have a real soft spot for wingers.

‘It’s fair to say Curtis is a marquee signing. He’s done it at a very good level in League One and to get him signed up is a serious statement of intent.

‘Season tickets go on sale on June 1 and this won’t do any harm, put it that way. They want to go straight back up and this is a player who can help that ambition.

‘What’s interesting is, they haven't really played with wingers for the last couple of years, they have tended to use a 3-4-3- or 3-5-2, so we’re just wondering where Curtis plays.

‘Being a specialist winger and a good player, I don’t imagine he has signed just in case they change formation during the game. It suggests Darren Moore might go with the back four.’

Former Pompey skipper Moore won two of his 17 matches in charge after arriving in mid-February challenged with preventing relegation.

He was joined by former Blues team-mate Lee Bradbury, who was appointed as first-team coach, yet they couldn’t prevent Vale finishing second from bottom of League One.

Baggaley added: ‘People recognised that Moore inherited a poor side which got worse in the January transfer window.

‘The big criticism of the squad was it wasn’t really balanced, with not enough players to suit the wing-back system. It was a poor hand Moore was dealt.

‘However, the vast majority of supporters haven't really been critical of him and are looking forward to seeing what he can do next season.’