Memory Lane Those trips to Port Vale?

[AndyT]

OK, just the once for me.

5th November 1994 : Port Vale 5-0 Southend United

This was after a really good run of results under Peter Taylor at the time.

We got pummeled, as the scoreline suggests.

Drove up and remember it taking about two hours to get away from the ground.

All in all, one to forget.

 

[rararblue]

2 or 3 seasons ago, drove up and saw a very good 3-2 win. Remember Moshni coming on as a sub to help protect the lead and him being everywhere. He was so into it, he wound up every Port Vale fan in the ground, particularly at the final whistle, with some well directed gestures. We very quietly, tiptoed back to our car!

 

[Gremlin]

OK, just the once for me.

5th November 1994 : Port Vale 5-0 Southend United

This was after a really good run of results under Peter Taylor at the time.

We got pummeled, as the scoreline suggests.

Drove up and remember it taking about two hours to get away from the ground.

All in all, one to forget.

I was there. It seemed a very long journey home. Alongside me on the away terrace was someone wearing a monk's habit.

 

[AndyT]

LOL, I forgot that, but can verify it was true. :smile:

We had that huge covered end, which was terraced at the time.

Good turnout from us that day.

 

[ex-exiled]

It'll be my first trip to Port Vale on Friday, let's hope for a better result then 5-0 loss:'(

 

[Angell Delight]

OK, just the once for me.

5th November 1994 : Port Vale 5-0 Southend United

This was after a really good run of results under Peter Taylor at the time.

We got pummeled, as the scoreline suggests.

Drove up and remember it taking about two hours to get away from the ground.

All in all, one to forget.

Yep the first of two trips I took to Vale in the mid 90's (the second being a 2-1 defeat in which Jeroen Boere scored for us). This 5-0 hammering was just about as miserable as it gets, especially as my Dad and I were sitting alongside my Dad's best mate who is an ardent Vale fan. Joe Allon even missed a penalty for them that day too. We were just horrible.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

OK, just the once for me.

5th November 1994 : Port Vale 5-0 Southend United

This was after a really good run of results under Peter Taylor at the time.

We got pummeled, as the scoreline suggests.

Drove up and remember it taking about two hours to get away from the ground.

All in all, one to forget.

I think we'd lost 4-1 at Stoke (a scoreline that flattered us) then, with Ronnie Whelan's influence, gone 7 matches unbeaten and amazingly (as we were ****) were in the play-off places before we returned to the Potteries. They had the widest pitch in the league and Steve Guppy and Jon McCarthy (?) tore us to pieces.

 

[kaymac]

First and last visit was October '85, a 4-0 drubbing .....which not unexpected...

 

[jassyfa1]

A 0-0 in 1991. We were going through a stage of missing penalties and Andy Sussex obliged with another penalty miss. The game on a whole was one of the most boring I have ever seen.

 

[Napster]

I think we'd lost 4-1 at Stoke (a scoreline that flattered us) then, with Ronnie Whelan's influence, gone 7 matches unbeaten and amazingly (as we were ****) were in the play-off places before we returned to the Potteries. They had the widest pitch in the league and Steve Guppy and Jon McCarthy (?) tore us to pieces.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_McCarthy

 

[Zeuss]

My last visit was circa 2002.One of their 2 goals was a header from well inside our 6 yard box when tiny(not!) striker Leon Constantine outjumped our commanding (not!) keeper Daryl Flahavan! Jay Smith scored for us near the end.

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

Been to Port Vale a few times mainly back in the "Halcyon Days" of the late 60's. My first visit was in our debut season in Division 4 in 1966-67. 04/03/67. Port Vale 1, Southend 3(Woodley ,Ray Smith, McKinven).Att.4,695.
19/08/67. Port Vale 1, Southend 2(McKinven, Chisnall). Att.7,451.(Phil Chisnall's league debut).
04/11/68. Port Vale 1, Southend 1(McMillan). Att.3,572.
23/02/70. Port Vale 3, Southend 0. Att.6,333.(Port Vale were promoted). This match was played on a Monday night and I travelled on my own by train to Stoke. Luckily for me Bill Rubin was travelling on the same train and treated me to some lunch. On arriving at Stoke we took a cab together to Vale Park. Bill then asked me if I had a lift home to which I replied no, so he said wait by the players entrance and I will see what I can do for you. About 30 mins. later Keith Holmes appeared and said I will drop you off in Wakering after I have taken Peter Hunt to the England Hotel in London(Peter was in the England Youth Squad at this time). I finally arrived home at about 5:00am. This was the first of 3 horrible away matches in a week with Exeter the following Saturday which we lost 3-0 and on the following Tuesday we suffered another 3-0 defeat at Oldham which was Arthur Rowley's first match as manager.
My last visit to Port Vale was in 1980-81 the year we won the 4th.Division Championship, again the match was played on a Monday night we lost 1-0 (Att.2,780)in a season that contained only 9 league defeats.

 

[ozzie]

Went with my mate Graham there ,either 73 or75??He drove me up in his Ford Anglia, which broke down on the M1 ,i think...we had to leave the motor,then started to hitch it to Port Vale.While hitching for a lift someway away,we got detained and took away by the local police ,coz they thought we were car thieves.
Once Graham proved his car was brokendown ,they let us go.
Cannot remember anything about the game,only how big Vale Park was.Cannot even remember how we got back home

 

[AndyT]

It was a huge ground.

Am sure it used to hold over 50,000 at one time.

 

[DoDTS]

It was a huge ground.

Am sure it used to hold over 50,000 at one time.

Port Vale had played at the Old Recreation Ground since 1913 in Hanley, but during the war the Club had encountered financial difficulties and had been forced to sell the ground to the council, who were reluctant to rent it back to the club. They moved to a new ground at Vale Park in 1950, the ground had taken six years to build. It was a lavish project for the time with a projected capacity of 70,000, unfortunately shortage of cash led to the cancellation of the grandstands on two sides, the reduced capacity was 40,000 which included 360 seats. The opening ceremony was on the 24th August 1950 for the third Division game against Newport County and 30,042 spectators were in attendance, but gates had steadily reduced since and their last home game had only been watched by 8,153. With Southend United’s proposed move to Roots Hall much could be learned from the experiences and pitfalls of the Port Vale club who had spent £70,000 already but the ground was far from being finished.

No.19 Div 3 (South)
Saturday2nd December 1950
Port Vale 3-1 Southend United.
Although Blues were beaten 1-3 by Port Vale at least they can claim that they contested the issue for the full 90 minutes, and with a little more luck and thrust they could have returned with a point. That there was a match at all on the pitch was a miracle in itself, the ball stopped dead in the treacle like mud but despite this the two sides adapted themselves to the bad conditions rapidly. Incidentally for the opening of the ground it was reported that a massive £10,000 had been spent on the pitch. Port Vale went ahead after ten minutes play dribbling through the defence before crashing the ball into the net. The second goal was somewhat fortunate after twenty minutes, the ball rolling away from Stirling and Vale scored from close range. Just before half time Blues got back into the game when Tippett took the ball upfield and centered for McAlinden to blast home. In the second half Blues had the major part of the play, although they had some scary moments as well with Port vale hitting the crossbar twice. Both Tippett and Davies missed great opportunties to draw level but ten minutes from time a third goal for the home side settled the matter. Team: Coombs; Loughran and Anderson; French, Stirling and Lawler; Butler, McAlinden, Wakefield, Davies and Tippett

 

[DoDTS]

04/11/68. Port Vale 1, Southend 1(McMillan). Att.3,572.

I was at the one played on a Tuesday night if I remember correctly. The Youth Section used to run a coach to every Saturday match but not mid-week, however they had made a small profit from previous trips so ran a full 50 odd seater to Port Vale with only about 10 on board.

I also went on the 6th May 1989 a very disappointing end of season encounter which we lost 2-0

A 0-0 in 1991. We were going through a stage of missing penalties and Andy Sussex obliged with another penalty miss. The game on a whole was one of the most boring I have ever seen.

At this one too, I went by train, it was our first season in Division Two and we had some great performances but as you say this was clearly not one of them, and we couldn’t score a penalty for life or money.

OK, just the once for me. 5th November 1994 : Port Vale 5-0 Southend United This was after a really good run of results under Peter Taylor at the time. We got pummeled, as the scoreline suggests. Drove up and remember it taking about two hours to get away from the ground. All in all, one to forget.

I went by train to this one, it was my worst away defeat I had seen at the time.

I also went with a Millwall supporting mate and saw Millwall lose 2-0 in 1975.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

I was at the one played on a Tuesday night if I remember correctly. The Youth Section used to run a coach to every Saturday match but not mid-week, however they had made a small profit from previous trips so ran a full 50 odd seater to Port Vale with only about 10 on board.

I also went on the 6th May 1989 a very disappointing end of season encounter which we lost 2-0
At this one too, I went by train, it was our first season in Division Two and we had some great performances but as you say this was clearly not one of them, and we couldn’t score a penalty for life or money.


I went by train to this one, it was my worst away defeat I had seen at the time.

I also went with a Millwall supporting mate and saw Millwall lose 2-0 in 1975.

Are you in this photo? https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtipps/1442235333/in/photostream/

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Port Vale - an almost magical place it seemed me when I was young as I could find no mention of a "Port Vale" in the Road Map in the car.

Memories of them in Division 2 and seeking re-election almost annually (and us down there with them as well).

Last time I went I think it was the Bilel game - lovely pitch to play on. Just hope it is the same on Friday night.

I see that just over 4,000 turned up for their home game against Fleetwood a couple of weeks ago.

They took Tomlin from us when I thought he should have stayed.

And Grant plays for them of course.

The only other thing I know about them is that Robbie Williams (of Take That?) is a fan ............ but has yet to be persuaded to put his hand in his pocket to help them financially.

 

[DoDTS]

Are you in this photo? https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtipps/1442235333/in/photostream/

I don't think so, I went with a very young DTS (nine coming up ten) and I must admit that the young lad swinging on the barrier looks a a bit like Dave, but can't really tell from that picture.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_McCarthy

Robin Van Der Laan then?