 He made his League One debut as a 70th minute substitute in a 2–0 defeat to Swansea City on 19 January 2008.He played four further league games that season, all of them defeats as the Vale were relegated into League Two.After appearing in six league and two cup games for the "Valiants" in 2008–09, Slater was released from his contract in mid-November, and subsequently re-joined Chasetown.