made 15 appearances for the club before leaving Edgar Street in the summer after Hereford were relegated out of the Football League. Walsall Purkiss signed for League One club Walsall on a one-year contract, on 6 August 2012 after a successful trial; he rejoined his former Hereford boss Richard O'Kelly, who had just been appointed assistant manager at Walsall. He was dropped from the first-team in the first half of 2013–14 in favour of Mal Benning and then James Chambers. He signed a one-year contract extension in May 2014. He missed the start of 2014–15 with an ankle injury, but returned to first-team action with good energy after working hard to maintain his fitness levels. He was named on the Football League team of the week for his performance in a 2–0 win at Doncaster Rovers on 7 February, having denied the home side an equaliser with a goal-line clearance. He made a third losing appearance at Wembley Stadium on 22 March, as Walsall lost 2–0 to Bristol City in the final of the Football League Trophy. Despite Purkiss showing good form during many of his 39 appearances throughout the campaign he was one of four players released by manager Dean Smith in May 2015. Port Vale Purkiss signed for League One club Port Vale on 24 June 2015 on a two-year contract. Manager Rob Page signed him as a replacement for departing right-back Frédéric Veseli to provide competition to Adam Yates. He began 2015–16 as the club's first choice right-back, combining well with winger Byron Moore, and impressed in the role to the extent that Yates was sent out on loan. Page praised Purkiss for his performances early in the season, and said his signing allowed the club to play a more patient, passing game. He was named in The Football League Paper team of the day for his performance in a 1–1 draw with Scunthorpe United at Vale Park on 12 December. He was again named in The Football League Paper team of the day after playing at right-wing-back in a 2–0 win over Gillingham on 16 April 2016. New manager Bruno Ribeiro appointed Purkiss as joint-captain, along with Jak Alnwick and Anthony Grant, in July 2016. He played 12 of the club's first 15 league matches of 2016–17, though was twice unexpectedly dropped from the matchday squad entirely despite not being injured on either occasion. Chairman Norman