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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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) 11/14/2005 (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 11/14/2005   A(1)   1,200 A $ 0 59,456 (2) (3) D   Common Stock -- (401K Plan)               763 D   Common Stock               8,141 (4) I By trust Common Stock               463 I Custodian for minor child

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

$ 15.4667

07/01/1998

06/30/2008

Common Stock

2,321

2,321

D

Stock Option

$ 19

01/19/2002

01/19/2011

Common Stock

5,318

5,318

D

Stock Option

$ 21.2095

11/07/2002

11/07/2011

Common Stock

3,473

3,473

D

Stock Option

$ 22.7524

11/18/2003

11/18/2012

Common Stock

4,052

4,052

D

Stock Option

$ 26.5333

11/17/2004

11/17/2013

Common Stock

3,859

3,859

D

Stock Option

$ 26.6381

11/16/2005

11/16/2014

Common Stock

3,675

3,675

D

Stock Option

$ 24.68

11/14/2005

A

4,000

11/14/2006

11/14/2015

Common Stock

4,000

$ 24.68

4,000 (5)

D

STOCK OPTION/NQ

$ 21.2095

11/07/2004

11/07/2011

Common Stock

868

868

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

ERIC W GOULD		11/16/2005
**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).
(2)	Includes restricted shares granted under VNB 1999 Long Term Stock Incentive Plan, vesting in five equal installments beginning one year from the grant date.
(3)	Valley declared a 5% stock dividend on April 6, 2005, payable May 20, 2005 to shareholders of record on May 6, 2005.
(4)	Shares held by trusts for which the reporting person and another reporting person of the issuer are co-trustees. Indirect shares totaling 287,544 are held in trust for unrelated third parties for which the filer is a trustee and the filer received no compensation and had no pecuniary interest in his role as trustee. Accordingly, the shares have been removed.
(1)	Restricted shares granted under VNB 1999 Long Term Stock Incentive Plan, vesting in five equal installments beginning one year from the grant date.
(5)	Granted under VNB 1999 Long Term Stock Incentive Plan, exercisable in five equal installments beginning one year from the grant date.

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