Port Vale boss Lee Sinnott has made Manchester United defender Adam Eckersley his first permanent signing at Vale Park.
"But I believe we have got a good chance of staying up in League One and I am happy to be back, it is a good club with good people here."
He added: "It's a big help knowing most of the players from when I was here before and I also knew one or two them from when I played here in pre-season."