15 minute read
Today’s Opposition: Port Vale
PORT VALE
FOUNDED 1876
Formed in 1876, and the prefix ‘Burslem’ was added to the club’s name when they moved to the town in 1884. They were founder members of Football League Division Two in 1892 and after failing to gain re-election in 1896, they returned two years later before Burslem Port Vale resigned in 1907 due to financial problems. The ‘Burslem’ was dropped and they returned to the Football League in place of Leeds City in 1919 after which Vale established themselves in the Football League winning the Third Division (North) Championship in 192930 and finishing fifth in Division Two in 1931 which remains the club’s best ever finish. Port Vale hold the record for the most years spent in the Football League without ever playing in the top flight. Relegation back to the Third Division came in 1936 and Vale were moved between the North and South divisions for the next 18 years due to their central location in the Midlands. In 1950 the club moved to Vale Park, and in 1953-54 Vale were promoted to Division Two but were relegated three years later straight down to become founder members of the Fourth Division. Then followed many years of yo-yoing between the bottom two tiers, until in 1989 they won promotion via the play-offs to Division Two, competing in the second tier for the first time in 32 years. That lasted until 1991-92 when they were relegated. Promotion was achieved again in 1994 and in 1995-96 they reached the Anglo-Italian Cup Final at Wembley losing 5-2 to Geona. In May 2000, Vale were relegated to the Second Division (League One) where they stayed until dropping to League Two in 2007-08. Despite going into administration in 2011-12, Vale were promoted at the end of the 2012-13 season and remained in League One until 2016-17 when they were relegated on the final day. After an eighth place finish last season, hopes were high this campaign and it started well with the Valiants sat in the play-off positions until a disastrous November in which they lost all five of their league games and then six wins since, has seen them drop to the bottom half of the table. John Askey was relieved of his duties in January, with Danny Pugh taking interim charge before Darrell Clarke was brought in from Walsall as manager on 15th February. After two draws and a loss in the first three games under Clarke, Vale have picked up three wins on the bounce to relieve any relegation fears and are preparing nicely for next season.
NICKNAME The Valiants
VALE PARK Capacity 19,052
RECORD SCORER Wilf Kirkham 164 (1923-29/1932-33)
RECORD APPEARANCES Roy Sproyson 837 (1949–72)
RECORD TRANSFERS Paid £500k Gareth Ainsworth Lincoln City September 1997 Received £2m Gareth Ainsworth Wimbledon October 1998
THE VALIANTS PLAYING SQUAD
BETWEEN THE STICKS
1. Scott Brown
Joining Vale in July 2018, the 35-year-old started in the youth set-ups of Birmingham City and Wolves before joining Welshpool Town and then Bristol City and making his EFL debut with Cheltenham Town in January 2006. He played a total of 282 games for the Robins, before moving to Aberdeen in May 2014. He joined Wycombe Wanderers in July 2016 and after loan spells at Eastleigh and back at Cheltenham, he was everpresent in Wycombe’s 2017-18 promotion-winning season.
AT THE BACK
2. James Gibbons
After progressing through the academy system at Port Vale, the 23-year-old signed his first pro deal with the club in July 2016 before joining NPL side Leek Town on a one-month loan deal in the September. After making his first team debut for Vale in December 2016, he has featured regularly during the last few seasons in League Two.
3. Adam Crookes
A graduate of Nottingham Forests’ academy, the 23-year old had loan spells at Guiseley and Lincoln City during the 2017/18 campaign before joining the Valiants on loan in January 2019, before making the deal permanent in the May.
5. Leon Legge
Signing for Vale in July 2018, the 35-year-old spent the first years of his career in non-league at Sidley United, Eastbourne UA, Hailsham Town, Lewes and Tonbridge Angels, before joining League One Brentford in July 2009 at the age of 24. With 110 appearances for the Bees in four seasons at Griffin Park, he joined Gillingham on a loan before making the move permanent in January 2013. After three seasons and 87 games for the Gills, he moved on to Cambridge United in May 2015 and made 124 appearances for the U’s before joining Vale in the summer of 2018 where he has racked up over 110 more games.
Scott Brown
6. Nathan Smith
A product of the Vale academy, the 24-year-old signed pro in June 2014, and spent the next two seasons on loan at Stafford Rangers and Torquay United respectively, before returning to Vale and cementing a first team place in the 2016-17 campaign. He made his 100th consecutive league appearance the following season and has now amassed over 240 games for Vale.
Leon Legge
15. Zak Mills
Signing in July 2020, the 28-year-old started his senior career at Histon in 2010, playing 124 games for the club, before moving on to Boston United in March 2014. After impressing at Boston for two years, he earned himself an EFL move in 2016, moving to League Two side Grimsby Town, where he would play for two years. Following his spell at Blundell Park, he spent a season at Morecambe during the 2018-19 campaign, before joining Oldham Athletic in June 2018, making 25 appearances for the Latics last term before his move to Vale in the summer.
16. Shaun Brisley
Joining Vale in August 2019, the 30-year-old started his career at Macclesfield Town where he made 142 total appearances in just under four years before moving on to Peterborough United in February 2012, initially on loan but then signing permanently in the May. As well as making 93 appearances for the Posh, he also had loan spells at Scunthorpe United, Northampton Town and Leyton Orient, before signing for Carlisle United in July 2016. After a season in Cumbria, he moved to Notts County in July 2017 before moving to Port Vale.
24. David Fitzpatrick
Signing for Vale last Summer, the 30-year-old started his senior football career at Northwich Victoria in 2010. He then had a short spell at New Mills before
re-joining Northwich Victoria in December 2011, before he again made the switch to New Mills in the summer of 2012. In July 2013, he made the step up to the National League with Southport before moving to Macclesfield Town in September 2015. He spent five years at Macclesfield making just short of 200 appearances before being released at the end of last season and joining Vale.
33. Mustapha Olagunju
Signing on loan from Huddersfield Town in the January transfer window, the 19-year-old joined the Terriers in July 2018 and made his first team debut for them in early January. During the 2018/19 season, he played almost every minute of every game for the Terriers’ U17 side, before stepping up to the U19s the following season. He also had short loan spells at Tadcaster Albion and Welling last season.
THE ENGINE ROOM
4. Luke Joyce
Signing for Vale in 2018, the 33-year-old’s career began in Wigan Athletic’s academy before making his first-team debut in January 2006. He joined Carlisle United in 2006 and had loan spells at Barrow and Northwich Victoria before moving to Accrington Stanley in June 2009 where he spent six years making 276 appearances. In 2015, he joined Carlisle for a second spell and played over 143 times before joining Vale in May 2018. Since then he has turned out over 120 times for the Valiants.
7. David Worrall
Now in his fourth season at Vale, the 30-year-old came through Bury’s youth system, before joining West Bromwich Albion in March 2007. After one game at the Hawthorns and loan spells at Accrington Stanley and
Darrell Clarke
Appointed: February 2021 Age: 43
Darrell Clarke was appointed Vale boss in February after leaving Walsall. His playing career started at Mansfield Town, where he came through the academy and became pro in 1995. With over 150 appearances, Clarke left for Hartlepool United in 2001 and was key in Pools’ promotion winning season of 2002-03. Loan spells at Stockport, Port Vale and Rochdale followed before he joined Salisbury City where he spent the next six years including as player-manager. Winning 84 of his 157 matches in charge of Salisbury, Clarke joined Bristol Rovers as assistant manager in June 2013 and took the top job the following March where he achieved promotion back to the EFL and a second successive promotion in 2015-16 to League One before he was appointed Walsall’s manager in December 2018.
IN THE DUGOUT
Shrewsbury Town, he returned to Bury on loan in August 2009 before making the deal permanent in early 2010. Going on to play 178 times for the Shakers, he joined Rotherham United in June 2013 and was loaned to Oldham Athletic in January 2014 before moving to Southend United in the summer. He made 84 appearances for the Shrimpers before joining Millwall in June 2016. After two seasons he joined Port Vale in May 2017.
8. Emmanuel Oyeleke
Signing for Vale in July 2018, the 28-year-old is a product of the Brentford youth system, having also represented Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers at youth level. He signed his first pro contract with the Bees in April 2012 as part of their development squad and had several loans at Northampton Town (twice), Aldershot Town (three times) and finally Woking before joining Exeter City in May 2015. After 11 appearances for the Grecians, he returned to Aldershot Town in 2017 where he made over 40 appearances, before leaving for Port Vale.
David Worrall
Tom Conlon
10. Tom Conlon
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Signing in July 2018, the 25-yearold went pro at Peterborough United in 2013 but after just three appearances, joined Stevenage on loan in September 2014 before making the deal permanent in the January. In February 2018, he was briefly loaned out to Billericay Town and after 71 total appearances for Stevenage was released in May 2018 and joined Port Vale. Since then he has made over a century of appearances for the club.
11. Cristiano Montaño
Signing in June 2017, the 29-yearold started at West Ham’s academy and signed pro with them in 2010. During the 2011-12 season, he had five loan spells at Notts County (twice), Dagenham & Redbridge and Oxford United before joining Oldham Athletic in August 2012. After 48 games for the Latics, he returned home to Colombia in early 2014 to play for America de Cali, before signing for Bristol Rovers in July 2015. After 62 appearances, he joined Vale and has now made over 130 appearances for them.
17. Jake Taylor
Signing for Vale from Nottingham Forest in January having spent the first half of last season on loan at Vale Park, the 22-year-old started his youth career in Manchester United’s academy before moving to Forest’s academy in July 2015. He joined Scunthorpe on a season-long loan in October before being recalled by Forest ahead of his move to Vale.
18. Danny Whitehead
Signing in August, the 27-year old started his pro career at Stockport County before moving to West Ham United in June 2013. After playing for their U21 side, he signed for Accrington Stanley in March 2015 before moving to Macclesfield Town that summer. He then joined Wigan Athletic in January 2016, though returned to Macclesfield on loan for the rest of the season. The following season he was loaned to Cheltenham Town and then Macclesfield before making that deal permanent in September 2017. After 38 games for the Silkmen, he moved to Salford City in May 2018, before returning again to Macclesfield on loan in January 2020.
19. David Amoo
Joining Vale in July 2019, the 29-year-old, started his career with Liverpool in 2010, before joining Preston North End in May 2012 after loan spells at MK Dons, Hull City and Bury. He moved on to Tranmere Rovers in January 2013 and then Carlisle United in June 2013. He moved to Scottish Premiership club Partick Thistle in July 2015 where he spent two seasons before joining Cambridge United in May 2017, making 76 appearances.
20. Scott Burgess
Joining in May 2019, the 23-yearold came through Bury’s youth system and made his debut for the Shakers in May 2014. In five years with Bury, he spent time out on loan with Stalybridge Celtic, Macclesfield Town, Wrexham and York City, as well as Norwegian side, Bergsøy.
27. Alex Hurst
Signing for Vale in August 2019, the 21-year-old came through the Academy at Crewe Alexandra and played for them at U18 and U23 level before joining Matlock Town in August 2018 and then Bradford (Park Avenue) in October 2018 before being picked up by Vale. He was immediately loaned back to Bradford PA until January 2020, playing 35 games before rejoining back up with Vale.
UP TOP
9. Tom Pope
Signing for Vale in July 2017 for his second spell, the 35-year-old, lifelong Valiants fan started off at Crewe Alexandra’s academy before signing pro in 2005. Loans at Lancaster City, Stafford Rangers and Barrow followed before he broke into Crewe’s first team scoring 17 in 64 games. He joined Rotherham United in June 2009 and in January 2011 headed to Port Vale on loan before making the move permanent that summer where he played 196 games and scored 69 goals before moving to Bury in Summer 2015. After two seasons, he returned to Port Vale for his second spell in 2017 and has added over 140 more games
Theo Robinson
as well as earning legendary status by becoming Vales’ postwar goalscoring record holder with 115 and counting.
12. Theo Robinson
Signing for Vale in August, the 32-year-old has 452 career appearances and scoring 117 goals to date. His career began at Watford in April 2006, where he spent time on loan at Wealdstone, Hereford United and Southend United, before making the move to Huddersfield Town in July 2009. After a loan to Millwall, he joined them permanently in January 2011. He then signed for Derby County before returning to Huddersfield on loan and then moving to Doncaster Rovers in August 2013. After a short loan spell at Scunthorpe in March 2015, he signed for Motherwell in the August, before joining Vale in January 2016. He then signed for Lincoln City in October 2016, before joining Southend United in January 2017 where he also spent time on loan at Swindon Town and Colchester United.
13. Mark Cullen
Joining Vale in July 2019, the 28-year-old started in Newcastle United’s academy before joining Hull City in 2010. After loan spells at Bradford City, Bury and Stockport County, he signed for Luton Town, scoring 24 in 71 games and earning a move to Blackpool in 2015. He spent four years with the Seasiders scoring 26 goals in 108 appearances before moving to the Potteries.
14. Kurtis Guthrie
Joining Vale in January, the 27-year-old started his senior career in Jersey for St. Clement and Trinity, before signing for Accrington Stanley in 2011. He spent time on loan at Southport and signed with Welling United in 2012, following a short spell at Bath City. He signed for Forest Green Rovers in 2014, before returning to the EFL with Colchester United in July 2016. He was then picked up by Stevenage where he bagged 19 goals in 66 games before joining Bradford City in January 2020.
RECENT LINE-UP
v Crawley Town (A) W3-1
Saturday, 30 March 2021
Rodney
Conlon Robinson
Joyce Worrall
Oyeleke
Montaño Brisley Legge Smith
Brown
SUBSTITUTIONS: 21. Devante Rodney
Signing in July 2020, the 22-year-old spent his youth at the academies of Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday before signing for Hartlepool United in January 2017. Impressive performances earned a move to Salford City in June 2018 during which he helped the Ammies achieve promotion into League Two, as well as having loans spells at Stockport County and Halifax Town (twice).
34. Will Swan
Signing on loan from Nottingham Forest in January, the 20-yearold made his first team debut for Forest earlier in the season and has been a regular in the clubs U23 side, plus had a loan spell at Truro City in January 2020.
Devante Rodney
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