"More respect" - Claim made on Stockport County promotion-winner after Port Vale move | OneFootball

The midfielder played his part in earning two promotions during his time at Edgeley Park

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Every team will have a player that goes under the radar going about their business, while not really getting the plaudits that many of their teammates will be receiving.

It could be a midfielder who does all the dirty work while his partner in the engine room bombs forward with the ball at his feet, or a full-back who never lets you down with his consistent 8/10 performances, with both rarely being raved about compared to those up top who grab the glory.

Stockport County will have had their own unsung heroes during their recent rise through the divisions, with the Hatters currently competing near the top of League One after two promotions in the last three years.

With that in mind, we put it to Football League World’s County fan pundit James Cropper to name the most underrated player in the squad in recent times, with the player recently leaving Edgeley Park for pastures new.

Ryan Croasdale effect pays huge part in Stockport County rise from non-league

Such has been the meteoric rise of the Hatters of late, that you could point the finger at a number of stars that have contributed towards the club’s march back up the football pyramid, following too long spent below the fourth tier.

Whether you look at long-serving goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe, the mesmerising brilliance of Louie Barry, or the rock-solid performances of Fraser Horsfall at the back, there have been stars all over the pitch for Dave Challinor’s side of late, with some getting more love than others during their time at the club.

Having clambered up the divisions, big decisions needed to be made ahead of a first season in the third tier in 15 years, and one of those to depart the club was a player who Cropper believes deserves more credit than he has been given during his time as a County player.

When asked what player has been the most underrated in recent times, the Hatters fan pundit said: “I have got to go with a man that we sold recently to Port Vale and that is Ryan Croasdale.

“As a defensive midfielder, you are obviously not going to be the star of the team, really, but I think his performances really did warrant more respect from County fans.

“Many people were complaining that he was a bit lazy, but I never really saw that; he was ever-present, he never really complained, and he did his job to the best of his ability, which is all you can really ask from a player.

“I think Port Vale have got a really great player on their hands because in League Two, you are not going to get a much better defensive midfielder than him.”

Ryan Croasdale is repeating Stockport County effect at Port Vale

During his four years calling Edgeley Park home, Croasdale was one of the first names on the team sheet for County, with over 150 league appearances underlining his importance to everything that was going well at the club during their upward trajectory.

After missing out in the play-offs during his first campaign after moving from AFC Fylde, the midfielder played in all but two of his side’s matches on the way to the National League title in 2021/22, with his all-action displays in the middle of the park making the difference for a side that swept aside all that came before them.

Even with the step-up to the Football League, the midfielder never looked out of place, and held his own as County went all the way to the fourth tier play-off final, before earning another title the year after.

While marauding forward was never a great part of his game, his patrolling of the backline played a huge part in County being the second-best defensive unit in the division, with just 48 goals conceded in 46 league games.

Playing that sort of role can often be a thankless task, and can often be overlooked by a fanbase that expect the world of every player who takes to the pitch, but you only have to look at the influence Croasdale is having at Port Vale this season to see how highly thought of he is, having immediately become a trusted member of the dressing room at Vale Park.

With Darren Moore producing a side that look well capable of pushing for an immediate return to the third tier, Croasdale’s experience over the last few years at Edgeley Park will serve him well over the course of the coming season, with the Valiants putting themselves in a healthy position at this point of the campaign.

Whether it was the fact he recently turned 30 that put County off of committing to another deal is unclear, but having made his way back up to the Football League after being on the books of Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday as a youngster, Croasdale is making the most of his second chance at League Football, with County reaping the rewards over the past few years.