GRAND HOME FOR JORDAN

FOR IT TOOK a long time for Grand Drive to feel like ‘home’ for Jordan Gallagher, but now he’s fully settled in, the Raynes Park Vale hotshot doesn’t want to share it with anyone – not least Isthmian League South Central title-rivals Kingstonian.

- Neil Harvey

Gallagher, 27, is entering his fourth season in south-west London after arriving with cousin Josh Gallagher from Abbey Rangers after Josh took a player-manager role at Vale.

In their three seasons so far, they have helped Vale to record-high league finishes yearon-year, including winning the Combined Counties League Premier South in 2022-23.

In their debut Step 4 campaign, Vale finished sixth – just missing out on the play-offs after leading the title race early on.

But it isn’t just on the pitch that the London club are making strides with on-going work to improve the spectator experience at Grand Drive and make the club a hub for the local community, including a new outdoor bar with decking area and a rejuvenated clubhouse.

All these things of course come at a cost and, keen to be good neighbours to their rivals, Vale have agreed a two-year deal to ground-share with Kingstonian for 2024-25.