Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
CROCITTO PETER P
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP [VLY]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1455 VALLEY ROAD
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
09/19/2008
(Street)

WAYNE, NJ 07470-
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock (1) 09/19/2008   M   18,471 A $ 13.93 135,355 D  
Common Stock (1) 09/19/2008   F   10,730 D $ 23.98 124,625 D  
Common Stock               37,199.4 I Wife
Common Stock               12,453 I Custodian/child
Common Stock               13,344 D  
Common Stock (401k Plan)               2,610 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option $ 13.932 09/19/2008   M     18,471 11/23/2000 11/23/2009 Common Stock 18,471 $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option $ 23.3197             11/13/2007 11/13/2016 Common Stock 18,191   18,191 D  
Stock Option $ 21.3195             11/14/2006 11/14/2015 Common Stock 16,785   16,785 D  
Stock Option $ 22.9205             11/17/2004 11/17/2013 Common Stock 15,316   15,316 D  
Stock Option $ 17.8095             02/12/2009 02/12/2018 Common Stock 17,325   17,325 D  
Stock Option $ 19.6544             11/18/2003 11/18/2012 Common Stock 16,082   16,082 D  
Stock Option/NQ $ 18.7823             11/27/2002 11/27/2011 Common Stock 12,697   12,697 D  
Stock Option $ 23.011             11/16/2005 11/16/2014 Common Stock 14,587   14,587 D  
Stock Option $ 15.9184             11/28/2001 11/28/2010 Common Stock 19,346   19,346 D  
Stock Option $ 18.7823             11/27/2003 11/27/2011 Common Stock 5,729   5,729 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
CROCITTO PETER P
1455 VALLEY ROAD
WAYNE, NJ 07470-
      EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT  

Signatures

 /s/ PETER CROCITTO   09/22/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Valley declared a 5 percent stock dividend on April 9, 2003, payable May 16, 2003 to stockholders of record on May 2, 2003.

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