Northampton Town have confirmed the signing of former Blackburn Rovers Jack Vale on a deal running until the end of the season.
The 24-year-old has been training with the Cobblers in recent weeks and becomes the club’s 16th new addition of the summer.
Nolan Explains Vale Capture
Cobblers boss Kevin Nolan outlined why the club had been patient in finalising the move, suggesting the forward had long been in their plans.
“We have taken our time over this move because we wanted to make sure we got the right one in, but Jack is someone who has been on our radar a while,” Nolan told the club website.
Vale has impressed during his training stint, with his arrival intended to bolster a Northampton frontline that has undergone significant change over the past few months.
Vale’s Career Path
The Welshman began his career at The New Saints before joining Blackburn Rovers’ academy in 2017, turning professional later that year. He extended his deal in 2019 and went on to make his Championship debut against Reading in July 2020. Across his time at Ewood Park he made 18 league appearances, though much of his development came through loan spells.
A short-lived switch to Barrow in 2020 was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he gained minutes at Rochdale in League One before a more productive spell with FC Halifax Town, where he netted his first senior goal in December 2021.
In September 2023, Vale joined Lincoln City, making 14 league appearances and scoring once. Blackburn subsequently recalled him from Sincil Bank. Two loan stints at Motherwell followed, where he scored twice in 13 appearances during his first spell in the Scottish Premiership.
He was released by Blackburn in May 2025 and has since spent time training with the PFA to maintain fitness before Northampton offered him fresh terms at Sixfields.
Writer’s View
This signing represents a calculated opportunity for both club and player. Northampton gain an additional attacking option with Football League and Scottish top-flight experience, while Vale gets a platform to restart his career after a series of loan spells and his Blackburn exit. He has yet to demonstrate a consistent end product in senior football, but at 24 there remains scope for development.
Reuniting with fellow former Lincoln loanee Jack Burroughs could also aid his transition. Whether he can provide the goals Northampton require remains to be seen, but the deal feels like a low-risk addition that could prove valuable across a long campaign.
