Luton head to Port Vale for friendly as Valiants snap up ex-Hatters striker

​​​Luton could come up against former Hatter Jayden Stockley when they travel to League Two Port Vale for a pre-season friendly next month.

After Town’s trip to newly-promoted Scottish Premier League side Dundee United on Friday, July 26, Rob Edwards will then select a mixed side of U21 and first team players to head to Vale Park on Tuesday, July 30, the Valiants relegated to the bottom tier of English football last term after finishing second bottom in League One.

Manager Darren Moore has already begun reshaping his squad for the campaign ahead, signing AFC Wimbledon winger Ronan Curtis and Stockport County midfielder Ryan Croasdale. They have now announced a third new face, striker Stockley agreeing a two-year deal at Vale Park after spending the last 18 months at Fleetwood Town where he scored 13 goals in 59 matches for the Cod Army, finishing as the club’s top scorer last season.

The forward began his career with Bournemouth, with loans at Accrington Stanley, Woking, Leyton Orient, Torquay and Cambridge United, before moving to Kenilworth Road on loan in January 2015. He netted three goals in 13 matches for Town, going on to have further loan spells at Portsmouth and Exeter. Stockley then signed for Aberdeen permanently in June 2016, but it was on his return to Exeter that saw his career really take off, on target 41 times in 76 appearances.

A £750,000 move to Preston followed, before he went to Charlton and then headed to Fleetwood in January 2023. Speaking to the club’s official website, Moore said: “Jayden is an experienced striker with a proven track record of scoring goals and will add an aggressive, combative and quality dynamic to our final third.

"He is another player who sets himself the highest standards both on and off the pitch and will be a real role model to the younger players in our squad. I am absolutely delighted to welcome Jayden to Vale Park and we are all looking forward to working closely with him next season.”