Bristol Rovers forward Lewis Haldane is hoping his loan spell in the Potteries will help him relaunch his Football League career.

The transfer-listed 24-year-old is the longest-serving player on Rovers' books, having joined the club as a 16-year-old after coming up through the youth ranks at Southampton.

But despite making 176 senior appearances for the Pirates and scoring 17 goals, he found regular first-team football hard to come by at the Memorial Stadium following promotion to League One and his last senior appearance for the club came back in April 2008, when he made a late appearance from the bench in a 1-0 defeat at Swindon.

The Trowbridge-born player spent the whole of last season on loan with Blue Square Premier outfit Oxford United – a move he now feels was a mistake.

But he spent a week training with League Two club Port Vale and impressed manager Micky Adams enough for the former Brighton, Coventry and Leicester boss to take him on loan for an initial month before last week's deadline.

Haldane admits he found the drop to non-league football physically tough – although he had experienced it before with a loan stint at Weston-super-Mare and two stints at Forest Green Rovers.

"I think it was a bad decision to drop down to the Blue Square Premier last season because it's a really tough league and people just want to kick you," said Haldane.

"It was a reality check for me – going to teams and losing in front of 500 people.

"But I know I can perform in the Football League, and hopefully I can do that with Port Vale – either in the starting line-up or by coming off the bench.

"Hopefully I can get some games now. It's been a frustrating time at Rovers and I haven't really had an opportunity in the last seven or eight months, so hopefully I can do the business, get a few matches and maybe stay longer."

The vast majority of Haldane's appearances for Bristol Rovers came during their spell in League Two, and he was part of the side that won promotion via the Wembley play-off final in 2007.

But although his pace could make him a threat, there was often a question mark over his end product. And he was one of a number of players – striker Richard Walker was another – who struggled to assert himself in League One.

"I'm not in Rovers' plans anymore and need to move on," he acknowledged.

"My confidence took a knock but there are lots of players out there who haven't got clubs and you need to stay focused.

"I have a pre-season behind me and I know I can play. I just want the chance to show what I can do."

Haldane says he has enjoyed his spell in the Midlands so far and has praise for his new boss Adams.

"He's a brilliant manager and has worked at the very top," he said.

"Everything about the club has impressed me. I am only 24 and I want to push on and help get them back into League One.

"There are a lot of good clubs in the league and it will be hard, but there are some bright young lads here and they are just as good as the Rovers squad I was part of that got promoted."