Port Vale away thread 14/09

All indications point to a Vale win. If Vale play anything like Northampton, they'll nullify our attacking threat and box us in- they took 4 points off Bury last season so looks a good possibility. They also have Mark Cullen, who always seems to score against us. We've won 3 times in 28 visits to Vale Park.

Bristol City also playing at Stoke at the same time- so possible trouble on the trains?

From the Herald [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The Staffordshire club will host Ryan Lowe's Pilgrims in League Two on Saturday

Plymouth Argyle have lost their last two away games in League Two, against Newport County and Northampton Town.

So manager Ryan Lowe will want to see his side turn that form around when they travel to Port Vale on Saturday.

The Valiants are in 14th position in the table, two points behind the eighth-placed Pilgrims.

Port Vale are unbeaten in three home league games this season, including a 1-0 win against Cambridge United last time out.

John Askey was appointed as manager in February and carried out a major overhaul of the squad this summer.

Here, Mike Baggaley, the Port Vale reporter for The Sentinel newspaper, tells Plymouth Live what Argyle can expect from Askey's side.


MAIN SIGNINGS AND DEPARTURES


John Askey has had a busy summer, recruiting 14 players. His priority was to add goals to a squad that had only managed 39 in 46 league games last season, the lowest total in the division.

So, strikers Richie Bennett, Mark Cullen and Jordan Archer have been recruited from Carlisle United, Blackpool and Bury respectively.

David Amoo has also been brought in from Cambridge United to supply the goals, and hopefully score a few himself from the right wing.

The main departures were midfielder Luke Hannant, who moved to Cambridge, and right-back Mitch Clark who was on loan from Aston Villa and has signed for Leicester City.


EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON


After finishing 20th for each of the last two seasons, a mid-table finish and a campaign free of relegation fears would be more than welcome.

There is certainly optimism around Vale Park after Norman Smurthwaite sold the club to Carol and Kevin Shanahan for around £4 million.

Smurthwaite was the subject of protests from supporters who have welcomed the Shanahans, the owners of an IT business next to Vale Park.

HOW HAVE VALE STARTED THE SEASON


Nine points from seven games and 14th place is a steady rather than spectacular start, but not to be sniffed at considering the Vale were given some tough opening fixtures.

That difficult run continues this weekend and then away to Exeter City on Tuesday.

Vale have looked solid defensively - apart from a 5-2 defeat at Grimsby Town - but are looking to create more than they did in last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Newport County.

THE PORT VALE DANGERMEN

Home-grown right-back James Gibbons loves to bomb forward and has started the season in fine form.


Goalkeeper Scott Brown swept the board at the end of season awards. He hasn't been quite as busy so far this season, although he made a fine penalty save at Newport.

Midfielder David Worrall rivals Gibbons as Vale's player of the opening few weeks. He has dropped back from the right wing to play in a central midfield three and is full of energy.

Club captain and target man Tom Pope has been the star man for the last couple of years as his goals have kept the club in the Football League, but the local lad and Vale fan has had to make do with a place on the bench of late.

Some supporters have urged Askey to play two up front but he has resisted that so far. Vale did switch to that when chasing the game at Grimsby but were over-run, showing why the manager has preferred to play with the extra man in midfield.


Port Vale (4-3-3): Brown; Gibbons, Legge, Smith, Crookes; Worrall, Joyce, Conlon; Amoo, Bennett, Montano.

I've gone for 2 1 loss as its never a happy hunting ground for us and it hasn't taken teams long to find our obvious weaknesses. A point would be a great result and all three would be a coup. Hope I'm wrong.

Wor in the trains ?

I think the transport police will be vaguely aware of the FA'S piss poor planning.

If I was that way inclined i'd avoid the trains like a plague and make my way by minibus.

Punchdrunk wrote:

Wor in the trains ?

I think the transport police will be vaguely aware of the FA'S piss poor planning.

If I was that way inclined i'd avoid the trains like a plague and make my way by minibus.

Trains on the B’ham-Wolves-Stoke-Manchester route are notoriously bad on a Saturday matchday. Very high chance of being caught wrong place, wrong time up there. BTP conveniently dodge some services that they should be all over.

Mate of mine just messages me. He was coming back from York on a coach and the driver ran out of hours ( not sure if this is something that could be planned for but what do I know?) Anyway he's in Birmingham train station now and he said there's several groups of pissed up hoolies shouting at each other as we speak, few people making a weekend of it to boot.

Whats this from The REAL fans REAL fan?

Nool on Twitter wrote:

I missed Oldham (golf abroad) and I'm also skipping Vale and Crawley. I think I'm on the slip.
I thought I could re-energise for the basement but I will admit to struggling at the mo

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I wonder if his struggle to re-energise is anything to do with not being able to weasel a directors box
invite and having to slum it with the Oi Polloi in the stands?

Hugh Watt wrote:

Whats this from The REAL fans REAL fan?  

Nool on Twitter wrote:

I missed Oldham (golf abroad) and I'm also skipping Vale and Crawley. I think I'm on the slip.
I thought I could re-energise for the basement but I will admit to struggling at the mo

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I wonder if his struggle to re-energise is anything to do with not being able to weasel a directors box
invite and having to slum it with the Oi Polloi in the stands?

Haven't Nool and Brent both been sitting in the directors box for the away games this season? Gawd knows why an ex-director (and his chauffeur) are still sitting there, but there we go.... It's probably more likely that Brent is not going to the game and so Nool isn't needed to drive.

Should be alright depending on who starts at the back

FOR any Pilgrim fans travelling to Port Vale tomorrow who has yet to obtain a match ticket, there are still tickets available to purchase at Vale Park from the away sales kiosk outside the away stand.

We're a poor team.  Plain and simple. We may improve as the season goes on but currently we look  very much bottom half material.  Expect nothing from tomorrow and you won't be disappointed.

Vale 2-0 Argo

Get something out the game, surely?

Rickler wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

Whats this from The REAL fans REAL fan?  

Nool on Twitter wrote:

I missed Oldham (golf abroad) and I'm also skipping Vale and Crawley. I think I'm on the slip.
I thought I could re-energise for the basement but I will admit to struggling at the mo

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I wonder if his struggle to re-energise is anything to do with not being able to weasel a directors box
invite and having to slum it with the Oi Polloi in the stands?

Haven't Nool and Brent both been sitting in the directors box for the away games this season?  Gawd knows why an ex-director (and his chauffeur) are still sitting there, but there we go....   It's probably more likely that Brent is not going to the game and so Nool isn't needed to drive.

This is true as I have personally seen it at every away game so far this season.

Punchdrunk wrote:

Rickler wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

Whats this from The REAL fans REAL fan?  

Nool on Twitter wrote:

I missed Oldham (golf abroad) and I'm also skipping Vale and Crawley. I think I'm on the slip.
I thought I could re-energise for the basement but I will admit to struggling at the mo

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I wonder if his struggle to re-energise is anything to do with not being able to weasel a directors box
invite and having to slum it with the Oi Polloi in the stands?

Haven't Nool and Brent both been sitting in the directors box for the away games this season?  Gawd knows why an ex-director (and his chauffeur) are still sitting there, but there we go....   It's probably more likely that Brent is not going to the game and so Nool isn't needed to drive.

This is true as I have personally seen it at every away game so far this season.

He’s Chauffering Wrathall games Brent isn’t attending and even chauffeured Bungo to a pre season game. How tragic is that?

I’ve heard Wrathall is on holiday so he’s reduced to feigning disinterest.

Crewe ..nool with Bent
Newport..nool with someone
Northampton...nool with Bent
Port Vale ..?

I wouldn’t be surprised if he sacks it altogether over a gradual period of time. He seems to have discovered there other things in life

Our last chance to get some away points as the next 4 away games won't yield many

Czarcasm wrote:

Punchdrunk wrote:

Wor in the trains ?

I think the transport police will be vaguely aware of the FA'S piss poor planning.

If I was that way inclined i'd avoid the trains like a plague and make my way by minibus.

Trains on the B’ham-Wolves-Stoke-Manchester route are notoriously bad on a Saturday matchday. Very high chance of being caught wrong place, wrong time up there. BTP conveniently dodge some services that they should be all over.

Trains are mad whenever large numbers travel.

Antoni Sarcevic is available for selection for Plymouth Argyle’s away game against Port Vale on Saturday after serving a three-match suspension.

The 27-year-old is competing for a central midfield spot alongside Danny Mayor with Jose Baxter and Conor Grant.

Sarcevic was sent-off in the closing stages of the Pilgrims’ 3-0 League Two win against Walsall at Home Park on August 24 for a crunching tackle on Stuart Sinclair.

It has been an unusual suspension, however, as Sarcevic has been able to play two games during it.

He was still eligible for the home Leasing.com Trophy group game against Bristol Rovers on September 3 because that competition has its own disciplinary system.

Sarcevic also played for an hour in Argyle’s 0-0 Central League draw away to MK Dons on Tuesday, and put in a strong performance.

So there is no issue when it comes to a lack of recent match practice for the strong-running midfielder.

Baxter started alongside Mayor in the 2-2 draw at home to Oldham Athletic last Saturday, with Grant on the bench.

Versatile Peterborough United loan signing George Cooper is another option for manager Ryan Lowe in that position against Port Vale.

Cooper, though, is still short of full match fitness so a place on the bench seems most likely.

Strikers Joel Grant and Dom Telford both returned to training this week after recovering from hamstring injuries.

They are extremely unlikely to start against Port Vale but at least one of them could make the bench.

That means former Port Vale striker Byron Moore, with a goal in each of the last two games, will probably be partnered by Ryan Taylor.

That is assuming Taylor has not had any further problems with the foot injury that has troubled him lately.

Meanwhile, defender Will Aimson has now played a couple of games after putting a pelvic problem behind him.

Lowe will have to now consider whether the summer signing from Bury is ready to start a league game, or continue with Scott Wootton, Niall Canavan and Josh Grant as his defensive trio.

Argyle (possible team): Alex Palmer; Scott Wootton, Niall Canavan, Josh Grant; Joe Edwards; Joe Riley, Jose Baxter, Danny Mayor, Callum McFadzean; Ryan Taylor, Byron Moore.

At Birmingham new street this very moment, not quite the war zone predicted. Can’t beat a good old janner scare story though

Plenty of yobs in brum on a Friday night

Brum ain't that bad

New street is alot better then it used to be now they finished improving it best they can. For a confined hole in the ground

Telford on the bench is a good sign

Hugh Watt wrote:

Punchdrunk wrote:

Rickler wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

Whats this from The REAL fans REAL fan?  

Nool on Twitter wrote:

I missed Oldham (golf abroad) and I'm also skipping Vale and Crawley. I think I'm on the slip.
I thought I could re-energise for the basement but I will admit to struggling at the mo

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I wonder if his struggle to re-energise is anything to do with not being able to weasel a directors box
invite and having to slum it with the Oi Polloi in the stands?

Haven't Nool and Brent both been sitting in the directors box for the away games this season?  Gawd knows why an ex-director (and his chauffeur) are still sitting there, but there we go....   It's probably more likely that Brent is not going to the game and so Nool isn't needed to drive.

This is true as I have personally seen it at every away game so far this season.

He’s Chauffering Wrathall games Brent isn’t attending and even chauffeured Bungo to a pre season game. How tragic is that?

I’ve heard Wrathall is on holiday so he’s reduced to feigning disinterest.

Who’s surprised? Anyone?

We’re not even halfway thru September and he’s binning off games. He’s a complete fraud as far as being ‘ARGYLE ‘TIL I DIE’ goes. Years ago he spent more time at his beloved Old Trafford than Home Park. Now he can’t secure a Directors Box invite every away game he’s showing his true colours.

The absolute worst type of arse-kisser.