Vale Swoop For Duo

Vale today completed a double swoop for 18-year-old Aston Villa midfielder Chris Herd and 25-year-old Scunthorpe defender Dave Mulligan. Herd has joined the League One strugglers on a month’s loan while Vale have taken over Mulligan’s contract until the end of the season.
Herd is highly rated at Villa, where he has been offered a new two-year contract ahead of his current three-year deal expiring in the summer. But he is looking forward to gaining valuable first-team experience at Vale Park, and looks likely to make his senior debut during Saturday’s home game with Millwall. He said: "It is really good to be here and I am looking forward to the chance to play first-team football. I only heard yesterday about Port Vale’s interest, but I was looking to come out on loan. I want to gain some experience here and help get Vale out of the relegation zone."
Herd can play all across the midfield and at right-back, giving Vale boss Lee Sinnott some welcome options. Vale were competing with another League One club and two League Two teams for his signature, but the Melbourne-born player had no doubts about joining Vale.
He added: "Port Vale came in for me first. I had a look at them and decided I wanted to come here. I am up to the challenge and am looking forward to helping them out."
Mulligan, a New Zealand international, is know as a right-back, but can play anywhere in defence. His last game was at the end of a seven-match loan spell for League Two Grimsby Town – a 2-1 home defeat by Chester City on October 2. He has previously played for Barnsley and Doncaster Rovers.