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Notts County signs Port Vale goalkeeper Aidan Stone on a free transfer

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By PON_News

Port Vale goalkeeper Aidan Stone has completed a free transfer to Notts County. The 23-year-old has signed a two-year deal after playing a crucial role in the Valiants’ promotion from League Two in 2021-22 and making 26 appearances for them last season.

Notts County’s board of directors are pleased to welcome a goalkeeper with a blend of excellent first-team experience and considerable potential. A statement from the club reads: “When looking for a goalkeeper, we have to consider a number of important factors. It’s crucial that the player is comfortable on the ball and able to distribute well with both feet. They must also be adept at playing high up the pitch and defending the space behind our back line.”

“Aidan has the attributes to do all that, as well as the willingness to engage in what will be an extensive learning process as he adapts to the unique way we want him to play. The opportunity to bring him in ahead of pre-season was therefore very important to us, as it ensures he will have maximum time to prepare.”

Stone benefitted hugely from a spell at Burnley as a youngster, where he enjoyed a brilliant footballing education thanks to regular training alongside Nick Pope, Tom Heaton and Joe Hart. “Aidan has gone on to make more than 80 senior appearances, all with EFL clubs, and has a League Two promotion to his name. Despite his young age, he therefore has excellent experience to draw on,” the statement continues.

“Competing with Sam Slocombe, this is now his opportunity to cement his position as a first-choice goalkeeper at a club which we believe is an excellent fit for him. He arrives with a point to prove, and we’re very confident he’ll do just that.”

The Stafford-born stopper was a latecomer to goalkeeping having played in defence as a youngster before making the switch in his mid-teens. His performances at local level earned him a call-up to England Schoolboys, which then led to him signing for Burnley as back-up to England internationals Pope, Heaton and Hart.

Stone then seized the opportunity to play men’s football with a move to Mansfield following an impressive trial ahead of the 2019-20 season. The following campaign saw him claim 21 League Two appearances for the Stags, impressing sufficiently to earn a switch to Port Vale at the end of his contract.

It proved to be a magnificent move as he nailed down a first-team place towards the end of a campaign which concluded with him keeping a clean sheet in Vale’s play-off final victory over his previous employers. His promising performances and play-off heroics saw him named the Valiants’ Young Player of the Season, and he continued his progress in League One in 2022-23.

What do you think about the signing of goalkeeper Aidan Stone? Join in the PON discussion regarding this signing here.

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Joshua

I'm really excited about the signing of Aidan Stone as our new goalkeeper. The fact that he played a crucial role in Port Vale's promotion last season shows that he knows how to perform under pressure.

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thommo

It's great to see Notts bringing in a goalkeeper who has both experience and potential. Stone's ability to distribute the ball well with both feet will definitely be an asset to our team.

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lambleypie

Welcome to Notts County, Aidan Stone! I hope you settle in quickly and showcase your abilities on the pitch. We're excited to have you as part of our team.

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liampie

it all reads very promising and i hope that he enjoys playing for notts when he gets the chance. i hope either he or brooks will start certain cup games as that could be a great way to see how they do.

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KingMaynard

It's always exciting to see young talents like Aidan Stone making their mark in the football world. His achievements at such a young age are impressive, and I can't wait to see what he can do for Notts County.

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allardyces tash

He sounds like he has a good background and is at the right age to be emotionally ready for first-team football. I hope he has the attitude to bounce back from setbacks, unlike what we saw with Ross Fitzsimons. He will have to compete with Tiernan Brooks and Sam Slocombe for a starting spot.

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B&Wstripes

It’s a promising signing; reserve keepers tend to be good enough to fill in and that’s that. He’s 23, so he has room to develop further and will have time to become a regular starter. I don’t see it as being a knock on Brooks; I hope it pushes him to do better than Aidan Stone.

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Wilfordpie

I’m not swayed by who he’s played under or with; I’m more interested in his own abilities and I’m mindful of when clubs dress up players of a young age. All the previous signings have spoken for themselves, so I’m a little sceptical of this signing for the reasons I mentioned.

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heraldmagpie

Tom Weal is a good judge of ability and I’m sure he will have looked at this keeper and helped the board, along with Luke Williams, to make a decision. As a backup, he might only play cup games and the odd match, so he’ll have to take whatever time comes his way.

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AmericanPie

I understand that this signing might not be as thrilling as the others, but he seems like a player that we can get something out of and I believe the coaching team will help him. It’s interesting that he used to be a defender; I would hope his communication and understanding of defending would help him keep the defence alert.

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BlackandWhitePie

Some Port Vale fans have expressed that he starts off well, but gradually becomes poor over time and concedes more than he saves. A lot of their fans are simply not bothered he was released. This either suggests we are taking a punt signing him or he just had a difficult time in his later stay with Port Vale. Good luck to him.

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NottsCountyKev

Stone's journey from playing in defence as a youngster to becoming a goalkeeper shows his versatility and adaptability. I'm confident that these qualities will serve him well at Notts County.

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