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 *
GOULD ERIC W
  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)
First Senior Vice President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1455 VALLEY ROAD
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
09/22/2008
(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) 09/22/2008   M   1,005 A $ 18.32 98,966 D  
Common Stock (1) 09/22/2008   F   7,680 D $ 24 91,286 D  
Common Stock (1) 09/22/2008   M   4,020 A $ 18.32 95,306 D  
Common Stock (1) 09/22/2008   M   4,692 A $ 19.66 99,998 D  
Common Stock               17,042 I By Trust
Common Stock               536 I Custodian For Minor Child
Common Stock (401k Plan)               1,367 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/NQ $ 18.32 09/22/2008   M     1,005 11/07/2004 11/07/2011 Common Stock 1,005 $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option $ 18.32 09/22/2008   M     4,020 11/07/2002 11/07/2011 Common Stock 4,020 $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option $ 19.66 09/22/2008   M     4,692 11/18/2003 11/18/2012 Common Stock 4,692 $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option $ 22.92             11/17/2004 11/17/2013 Common Stock 4,468   4,468 D  
Stock Option $ 21.31             11/14/2006 11/14/2015 Common Stock 4,631   4,631 D  
Stock Option $ 23.01             11/16/2005 11/16/2014 Common Stock 4,255   4,255 D  
Stock Option $ 18.15             11/14/2008 11/14/2017 Common Stock 3,360   3,360 D  
Stock Option $ 23.32             11/13/2007 11/13/2016 Common Stock 4,410   4,410 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
GOULD ERIC W
1455 VALLEY ROAD
WAYNE, NJ 07470-
      First Senior Vice President  

Signatures

 /s/ ERIC W. GOULD   09/23/2008
**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% stock dividend on April 7, 2008, payable May 23, 2008 to shareholders of record on May 9, 2008.

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