Ex-Blackpool defender transfers to League One rivals after Liverpool recall

Former Blackpool defender Rhys Williams has joined their League One rivals on a loan deal until the end of the season.

Williams has joined Port Vale, and joins Jensen Weir as another ex-Blackpool loanee to later ply their trade at Valiant Park. Blackpool have already played Vale twice this season and so he is unable to feature against his former club unless they mount an unlikely play-off push. 

“I am absolutely delighted to welcome Rhys to Vale Park," said first-team manager Andy Crosby to the official club website. 

“He comes into the squad and instantly enhances our defensive options with the quality that he possesses and, as a person, I am sure that he will prove to be a popular figure off the pitch too, with his personality, drive, and desire to become the very best version of himself.

“This loan signing is yet another example of clubs at the elite level seeing the way that we treat the players both on and off the pitch and the way that we play as a team, and ultimately seeing Port Vale as an ideal home for their future talents’ development.

“I would personally like to thank Liverpool FC for allowing us the opportunity to work with Rhys; the First Team staff and I all look forward to working closely with him for the remainder of the season.”

The 22-year-old was a Seasiders player for the first part of the 2022/23 Championship season and made 17 appearances in all competitions. He was recalled by the Reds and found himself on the bench as an unused substitute for one Champions League match and two Premier League games. 

He was loaned out to Aberdeen last summer but failed to make an impact and left Pittodrie with just 90 minutes of action. He made one appearance in the Challenge Cup and for the rest of the time he had in Scotland, he was an unused substitute and did not make a single match-day squad in the Scottish Premiership.

Williams suffered an injury in pre-season and failed to recover from it, and as a result, could not force his way into Barry Robson’s plans. To date, he has made 19 appearances for Liverpool's first-team but the most experience he's had in senior football was at Kidderminster Harriers in the National League North during a loan spell.