 He was named man of the match on his debut on 12 January, as a 2–1 victory over Gillingham sent Vale to the top of the table.Vale secured promotion with a third-place finish at the end of the 2012–13 season, with Purse providing experience at the back in his 17 games.He was not offered a new contract at the end of the season and was released as a free agent, with manager Micky Adams putting this decision down to the defender's age rather than as a reflection on his performances in the 17 games.