Former Port Vale and Gillingham Captain Doug Loft Dies Aged 39

Former Port Vale and Gillingham captain Doug Loft has died at the age of 39. Gillingham said he died after a medical emergency at the weekend.

The midfielder played 196 games for Port Vale between 2009 and 2014 after joining from Brighton, then made 70 appearances for Gillingham. Port Vale said he would be “remembered fondly by everyone at the club, not only for his achievements on the pitch but for the commitment and leadership he showed throughout his time in Burslem.”

The club also sent its sympathies to those close to him. “The thoughts and heartfelt condolences of everyone at Port Vale are with Doug’s family, friends, former team-mates and all those who knew him, at this incredibly sad time,” the statement said.

Port Vale will honour him at their next home game against Chesterfield this weekend. “With the blessing of Doug’s family, we have requested permission from the EFL for our players to wear black armbands and to hold a minute’s silence ahead of kick off,” the club said. The EFL is the body that runs England’s lower professional leagues.

Gillingham also paid tribute and spoke of the family he leaves behind. “Our thoughts and condolences are with Doug’s wife Laura, their children Freya and Amelie, along with his friends and family at this very difficult time,” the club said.

Loft started out at non-league side Hastings United, a team below the professional ranks, and joined Brighton in January 2006, just after his 20th birthday. He played three times in the Championship, England’s second tier, and scored once. He then made 46 more appearances for Brighton in League One, the third tier.

At Port Vale he was named player of the season for 2011-12 and became club captain, leading the team to promotion from League Two, the fourth tier. Gillingham signed him in 2014 and made him captain too. He spent two seasons with them in League One. He also played for Colchester United, Shrewsbury Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Billericay Town and Tonbridge Angels.

BBC Radio Stoke’s Phil Bowers said Loft joined Port Vale in 2009 to work again with manager Micky Adams, who knew him from their time together at Brighton. He scored 19 goals in five years at the club and left in 2014 to move back south with his family.

Adams said “no one could have been prouder to have captained the club” and that Loft did it with “enthusiasm and endeavour.”