There's been a healthy debate about whether any players should be rested on Saturday and as some of us wait for London to choose between a clown and a creep for Mayor I'll play Liberal Democrat and say, 'maybe'.
The news that confirmed Leeds will start the final weekend of league fixtures two points behind the Blues means a win for Southend will confirm fifth position and a play-off semi-final with the fourth place club which may be the out of form Carlisle. Now having just returned from the longest trip for a Shrimper in the football league I don't really fancy a return on a Friday night, however do we really want to play Donny or Forest at this stage if we can avoid it?
Of course, whatever happens on Saturday at the Hall results elsewhere may take the choice out of our hands. If anything, after last week's disappointing showing against Tranmere, another loss, this time against a relegated team, could plant seeds of doubt in our heroes which would be a shame after our terrific 13 game unbeaten run which got us here in the first place.
It's time to get 'off the fence'. I'll keep the back five in place, a risk as we don't really have real defensive cover. Though Liptak has stepped up in the reserves recently I wouldn't risk him in a full league game yet, bring him on as a sub if we are three up with thirty minutes to go! Anyway, would you tell Clarkey or Captain Adam to have a rest?
Midfield, even though they are 'best buddies' again, I would be tempted to rest Bailey. A red card at this stage would be annoying while Macca, surprisingly, has been a model of constraint recently, well with the opposition! Give the Moose a game, I'm sure he'll be needed at some stage in the play-offs.
Scannel for Black, not only to give Tommy a rest as well, a consistent weaklink during our fine run, though I wouldn't be surprised if Tilly decides to give Gower a day off, he looked a touch tired in Birkenhead and may be the better for it. This would allow Tommy a chance against weaker opponents to build up some form.
Up front I'll stick with Walker, who can't play in the play-off final if we reach it so an injury is not a disaster, and Revell, who needs all the playing time he can get to start proving he was worth that fee. Hoops on the bench for sure. The good Lord can be a bit of a sicknote so let's not give him any chance to miss out on the tougher stuff to come.
A lot depends on what Vale turns up, the one that played Brighton off the park or the team that got hammered at Swindon? A LibDem kind of performance from the Valiants would be fine, so whatever team Tilly decides on, as he gets up from his seat next to Uncle Ron for the final time, I hope he's just witnessed a pedestrian 2-0 win. COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!!!!!!!
THE OPPOSITION
Sometimes relegated teams with nothing to play for can be at their most dangerous. Hopefully, like the Blues at Southampton last year, Vale will play like a team second from bottom of the table and allow Southend to return to a winning momentum to take into the play-offs. Certainly the odds are with the home side as in their previous 22 away games Vale have won 4, drawn 2 but lost 16, scoring 20 and letting in 45!
Manager Lee Sinnott has already started his summer signings with a double swoop for midfielders Anthony Griffith and Rob Taylor while allowing seven players to leave. He certainly sees the club's youth as the future as the Valiants look to bounce back to League One at the first attempt including seven teenagers in the matchday squad for Saturday's 2-2 draw with Northampton Town at Vale Park. "There's a big opportunity for young players here at Port Vale next season," he told BBC Radio Stoke. "I will be looking for them to make a major contribution to the team as we look to be promoted."
Sinnott will have to rely heavily on his youngsters next term, particularly as relegation means a drastically reduced playing budget. Many graduates of the Vale's youth academy have impressed in the first team this season. Danny Glover scored his first senior goal against Northampton and Simon Richman and Chris Martin have made full debuts in recent weeks. "The message to the young players is well done for this year, rest up over the summer because we expect a lot from you next season," said Sinnott. Though they will have one final test at Roots Hall before they have that rest, considering the dire season they have had it is ending in relative optimism, the Vale faithful believing that under Sinnott the football has improved enough for a quick return to League Two.
A recent run of seven undefeated games, before that was brought to an abrupt end with a 0-6 loss at Swindon, showed they can play. Highlights including a 3-3 home draw with Leeds along with a 3-2 win at Brighton which they totally deserved and where Marc Richards scored a cracker and has now grabbed five goals in six games, watch him. In Luke Rodgers they have one of the best and most hard working forwards in the division and top scorer with thirteen in 39 appearances, many from the penalty spot. However he has not been seen since being involved in the March 29 win over the Borient so I'm guessing injury.
Here's a warning about The Valiants's current spirit after their 2-2 home draw with Northampton last weekend and the team that finished that game from their Rivals site, TonyNaylorwashere.com.
Port Vale showed that they have still got some fight left in them even though they have been relegated when they came back from two goals down to earn a point against Northampton Town. The match seemed to be heading nowhere and then a rush of three goals in five minutes opened things up.
Ryan Gilligan netted Town's 25th-minute opener and Andy Holt buried a header from Jason Crowe's cross to double the lead two minutes later and Vale looked to be in trouble. But Vale pulled one back as Marc Richards pounced on Mark Bunn's parry from Danny Whitaker's shot and the home side twice went close to an equaliser before-half time. Luke Prosser saw a header cleared off the line and Richards headed against the crossbar as Vale tried to fight back. Vale continued to pile forward in the second half and deservedly levelled in the 49th minute when Danny Glover drove in his first senior goal.
After the game, Lee Sinnott said: "You take positives out of a situation don't you? The way we conceded the two goals epitomised our season a little bit and we have serious work to do, to be successful next year in the amount of goals we concede. But in saying that, the reaction afterwards was first class. It seemed to be an end-to-end game. Each team had spells of domination and both teams maybe could have added to the scoreline. I thought a draw was a fair result on what was created." He added: "I was delighted that Danny got his first goal under his belt. There is a big opportunity for players at Port Vale and I will be looking for them to make a major contribution."
Martin, Lowe, Pilkington, Prosser, Eckersley, Richman (Davidson 89), Harsley, Whitaker, Cardle (Perry 62), Glover (Lawrie 89), Richards. Subs Not Used: Mulligan, Slater.
THE MATCHES
Played 69: WON 19 DRAWN 27 LOST 23
We've been playing the men from Burslem since December 1938, in fact twice in seven days, both in the Potteries. On the 10th Trainer scored in the FA Cup 2nd Round, a 1-0 win. On the 17th it was our first league meeting and a 2-2 draw, Bolan and Smirk the goals. We even fitted in a home goaless draw the following year before Adolph and the boys intervened and it was 6 long years before April 22 1947 came along and Smirk scored again, along with Bolan, in a 2-2 draw at home.
Since then we've played them through the decades and on 35 occasions at various venues around Southend with the Blues having a fairly decent record, though littered with too many draws, 18 in total. In fact, it was not until Dec. 28 1974 did we suffer a home defeat, 1-2, Elliot for us. Since then there has been a further 3, making 4 in total, the last being the season opener on Aug. 6 05 when Wayne Gray scored a sensational late consolation in a 1-2 scoreline but we ended up with the League One title 9 months later.
There have been 13 victories over Robbie Williams favourite side with two classics in living memory. April 20 73 brought a 5-0 win, a Guthrie hat-trick while Bill Best grabbed a double. We let them score on Aug. 18 1980, but still got a nap hand ourselves in a 5-1 result, Tony Hadley adding to Gray and Spence's brace of goals each.
The last match between the sides was on Sep. 29 last year where we set up the chance of another double with a 2-1 win, Leon Clarke finishing off Harrold's chip over a Vale defenders shoulder, or a lucky bounce off Harry's knee if you want to really put the boot in to the poor, forgotten Prince. Macca grabbed the other, while I was in the loo, the bugger.
THE HISTORY
The vast majority of clubs carry the name of a city, district, town or village in which they are located. Not so Port Vale. The Valiants allegedly take theirs from the venue of the inaugural meeting at 'Port Vale House' in a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent where they were formed in 1876. Upon moving to Burslem in 1884 the Club changed its name to Burslem Port Vale. They were playing in the Midland League when invited to become founder members of the Football League Division Two in 1892.
The early years were somewhat inglorious. In 1896 the club failed to gain re-election and returned to the Midland League. Following an FA Cup victory in 1898 over Sheffield United from Division One the club was elected back to Division Two, replacing Darwen. Their problems were not over, and in 1907 the club resigned from the Football League just before the season started because of financial difficulties. Oldham Athletic was invited to take over their fixture list. Vale went off to the Central League.
They moved ground again in 1913, and the 'Burslem' part of their name was dropped as the new venue acquired was in Hanley. It wouldn't be until 1950 that they returned to Burslem, when they moved to their current home of Vale Park. After the end of the First World War football restarted in 1919. Port Vale missed election to Division Two by a single vote, but by October they were back in the Football League. Leeds City were expelled for bribery and corruption after eight matches and the Valiants were invited to take over their remaining fixtures.
They survived in Division Two, in the middle and lower reaches, until 1928-29 when they were relegated for the first time. They also survived one of those lunatic schemes directors come up with now and again. In 1926 the board had announced a merger with bitter rivals Stoke City. Vale fans were incensed, and vowed to set up a new 'Port Vale' if any such amalgamation took place. The plan was abandoned. Vale bounced back from Third Division North at the first time of asking as Champions, and in the following season recorded what remains their best ever finish in the Football League: 5th in Division Two. They were again relegated in 1936 this time stayed in the third tier until 1954, switching between Division Three North and South on several occasions depending on the promotion and relegation of others.
Years of bickering with the council, from whom Vale leased the Recreation Ground, finally saw the club decide they would build their own stadium. The initial project was just about to get under way when the small matter of a Second World War intervened. Although they won't like us for saying so, but Port Vale have almost always been the smaller club in Stoke-on-Trent - think Rovers to City in Bristol. One suspects it was an inferiority complex which saw the plans for the new development grow and grow out of all proportion. Even in the post-War football boom the 70,000 capacity stadium, with what was reputed to be the largest pitch in the country, that finally came off the drawing board was madness. With costs spiralling out of control they would eventually move into a cut down 40,000 Vale Park for the 1950-51 season.
In 1953-54, having been runners-up the previous season, they stormed to promotion under manager Freddie Steele, an ex-England International, by a massive (particularly in the days of two points for a win) eleven points. That campaign also saw them reach the Semi-Final of the F.A. Cup, eventually going out 2-1 to West Bromwich Albion at Villa Park, with a hotly disputed penalty late on deciding the tie. Steele's success was built on a mean defence - they conceded a miserly 21 goals in 46 games as they won the title. However the future Yeovil connection was up front. Basil Hayward, at Port Vale from 1946 to 1958, who would build a Southern League Premier Division title winning side at Huish in the early Sixties, was the centre-forward. Sadly Hayward left shortly before the Glovers secured that title, when a penny-wise-pound-foolish board would only offer him a £1.00 a week pay rise. Much more sadly Basil died at the desperately early age of 61 in 1990. Three seasons after their title Steele resigned and Vale were relegated back into Division Three South. A mediocre season there saw them finish thirteenth and placed into Division Four when the lower reaches of the Football League were deregionalised in 1958.
Port Vale were the first Champions of the new Fourth Division. Hopes were high when Freddie Steele returned in 1962 and got them a third place finish, just missing promotion to the Second Division. He returned the club to their white and black strip of his first era, but as so often the second spell didn't work out well, and he resigned again as the Valiants headed towards relegation in 1964-65.
If you can't compete with your rivals on the pitch - Stoke City were then in Division One - try something off the pitch. When (Sir) Stanley Matthews finished his playing career at Stoke Port Vale appointed him as their new manager. Unfortunately great players do not always make great managers, though he could do little about the fact Vale were close to bankruptcy and had to sell their best players to stay afloat. But far worse was around the corner. In 1967 Port Vale became the only club to be formally expelled from the Football League since, ironically, Leeds City, whose place they had taken back in 1919. Fortunately for them the F.A., deliberately or otherwise, moved slowly to find them guilty of the long list of illegal payments and malpractices they had been charged with, so they completed their fixtures. This presented their fellow Football League chairman the opportunity in the summer AGM to vote them back in, which they duly did.
Gordon Lee took over from Matthews as manager, the legend being moved upstairs, and in his second season got Vale promoted to Division Three. In 1974 Lee left to manage Blackburn Rovers and managers came and went on a regularly basis as Vale were relegated again and bobbed about just above the re-election zone.
In 1980 they made one of the most important appointments in their history, though they didn't know it at the time. John Rudge was initially brought in as assistant manager. Vale were promoted in 1982-83 but struggled badly at the new level. When eventually moved up to the No.1 spot in 1984 Rudge would then remain in charge until 1999. However his first task was to complete a season that had always looked relegation bound. It was. He got them back into the Third in 1986, but by 1987-88, on a twelve match winless run, he was staring at the sack. In the F.A. Cup Third Round Vale turned in a desperately bad performance against Non-league Macclesfield Town, but fluked a 1-0 victory right at the death. The reward for the club in the basement of the Third Division was a home tie against Tottenham Hotspur. On TV ex-Spurs player Jimmy Greaves stated: "The only problem Spurs will have is finding the place". Oh dear. Port Vale won 2-1. It was a turning point for Rudge; and the money from the cup run, which included a replay away at Watford, then in the top tier, in the Fifth Round when they at last went out, came in handy too.
The season was turned around from that point, with the Valiants eventually finishing a comfortable 11th. The next season Vale kicked on and after finishing third on goal difference went up through the play-offs, defeating Preston North End and Bristol Rovers in the process, all the stages played over two legs at that time. They were back in Division Two after more than thirty years. The cherry on top would be meeting Stoke City again on equal terms after the same length of time. It got better.
That first season at the new level Vale finished a healthy 11th whilst the Potters were relegated in last place. It didn't last. Vale were themselves relegated two seasons later. Stoke had missed out through the play-offs so there was another season of direct rivalry in 1992-93, with Stoke going up as Champions and Port Vale taking their turn to miss out in the play-offs after finishing third. The Valiants knocking the Potters out of both the F.A. Cup and the Autoglass Trophy that campaign was probably scant consolation, but the latter competition did bring them a trip to Wembley, their first ever visit to the Twin Towers. They won 2-1, defeating Stockport County. Having got the taste they were back for the Play-off Final a few weeks later, but lost out 3-0 to West Bromwich Albion.
In 1993-94 there was no need for play-offs as Port Vale went up automatically from second place, finishing one point behind Champions Reading. They spent six seasons in Division One. In 1997-98 they had only stayed up with a win on the last day of the season, and with 1998-99 looking like another struggle Rudge was sacked in November after nineteen years at, and fifteen and a bit seasons in charge of, the club. The board did not even thank him for his services, and it was the fans who organised a march and a tribute dinner in his honour. John Rudge is now Director of Football at Stoke City.
Under the board's replacement, Brian Horton, they again stayed up on the last day but went down the following season. Since then they have been pretty much a lower mid-table Division Two / League One side, with just one close call for a play-off spot in 2003-04. The highlight of Horton's tenure was the LDV Vans Trophy Final victory 2-1 over Brentford at the Millennium Stadium in 2001. The low point in this period was December 2002 when the club had to seek administration. Horton was replaced in February 2004 by Martin Foyle, an ex-player and fans favourite from the Rudge era.
Foyle did OK, but just OK. After three seasons worth of lower-midtable finishes, he was sacked in September 2007, temporarily replaced by Dean Glover in a caretaker capacity. Mr. Glover gave way in November for Lee Sinnott, who has been a success outside the league, to come in. Sadly for the other team in the Potteries the rot has already been eating away at Vale Park and while Stoke could be going to the Premiership Vale will be playing fourth tier football next season. They had a mini revival highlighted by a deserved 3-2 win at Brighton but showed their true colours when hit for six at Swindon. That's the Port Vale I want to see at the weekend!
(Thanks to the usual suspects for their help in preparing this article.)