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Vale Park
Vale Park

Port Vale v Grimsby Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 05/12/2008

A week off has left the Mariners refreshed and raring to go against relegated Port Vale. Well hopefully.

Home > 2008-2009 Season > Previews > Port Vale (a)


The Opposition

Overview

How much us and the Valiants have in common as we both languish in the bottom league and while we suffer one of our lowest points we watch our local rivals bask in Premiership glory. For the last time we don't care how far Delap can throw a ball nor do we care how Hull have that little bit of creativity in Geovanni. Anyway how does a fairly prestigious club with a healthy fan base in a big city and with a large stadium and a stable foundation end up down here and struggling in mid-table? If it wasn't for Luton been deducted 10 points last year then Vale would have found themselves finishing rock bottom with a goal difference -34. And this season with a tighter budget and a less secure future rumours have been circling that the Staffordshire outfit are worrying more about the day to day running then returning to The Championship which was a good home to them in the 90's. At the end of the day Port Vale are no different to the rest of us larger sized clubs in League Two: a club fallen on harder times with disillusionment echoing throughout the 4,000 odd crowd remembering the better times not long gone and with the deathly shadow of administration not far away. At least it's only their first year here, maybe they can rescue themselves from a fate worse then death to play Macclesfield and Rochdale for eternity (insert evil laugh).

The Team
Now correct me if I'm wrong eagle eyed net warriors or passing Vale lovers but it says on the bible of all football (soccerbase) that Dean Glover has no number two and he does it all on his lonesome. Either that or he has a number two with the same name. I had the same thing with a guy from school who waltzes in with the exact same name then does some political assembly on youth government when we were meant to be having football practise! It was slightly disheartening to walk to English to see Greenie is a w****r written on the science block wall, I just hope they meant the other one, probably not. Anyway before I start rambling money is tight such as no number two and the 3 million loan signings Vale have made so far this season. Well ok 7 but it's a fair number considering its only just December. The clubs concerned vary from Chelsea to Plymouth so in theory have the right pedigree to make an impact. So far it's been far from rosy as all the relegated sides find out how hard it is to bounce back. Currently 14th Vale have failed to win at home since October 25th and with just one win in 5 and only 2 wins throughout the season at home Town will have a chance to take something from Burslem (which sounds a lot like Bedlam, the irony.)

During the Summer Vale let six players leave for pastures new all of whom have become instrumental in their new clubs' race for success. Robin Hulbert has become a driving force in the Darlington midfield along with that Liechtenstein bloke and Joe Cardle scored in Airdrie cup match on Saturday. Louis Dodd's arrived from Leicester, Sam Stockley from Wycombe and Anthony Griffith finishes off the summer signing trio. Oh and they have Chris Martin play in goal on occasions when Coldplay aren't on tour.


One to Watch
Marc Richards. Another striker to look out for on Saturday at 3pm Richards is Vale's leading goal scorer with 7 in the league from 18 games. The number 9 is one of the highest scorers in the league so far this year and though the Brummy went through a small dry patch back in September the forward is well on the way to becoming an instrumental piece in this year's promotion push. The former Blackburn striker has been loaned out to all and sundry in his career before signing for Northampton on a free. Richards has donned the shirts of Crewe, Oldham, Halifax and Swansea. Since then Richards have found homes at Barnsley, Rochdale and now Vale and the stats suggest he averages a goal every 3 games or so and he hasn't scored in the last 2.

Recent Form

TownPort Vale
LMacclesfield(a)0-1
DBournemouth(h)3-3
WBury(a)2-0
LMorecambe (FAC)(a)1-2
LDarlington(h)1-2
Currently 22nd in League Two.
WMacclesfield (FAC)(a)3-1
DBarnet(a)1-1
LWycombe(a)2-0
LBrentford(h)0-1
WHuddersfield (FAC)(h)1-2
Currently 14th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownPort Vale
North2
Till2
Hegarty2
Trotter2
Jarman2
Bennett2
Richards8
Dodds6

Team News

TownPort Vale

  • New French signings Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and Mickael Buscher are now available, with the former believed to be the more likely starter.
  • Port Vale are expected to name the same line-up that lost at Macclesfield last week.
  • Squads

    TownPort Vale
    1GKPhil Barnes
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFTom Newey
    4DFRyan Bennett
    5DFMatthew Heywood (c)
    6DFRichard Hope
    7MFPeter Till
    8MFPaul Bolland
    9MFAdam Proudlock
    10MFChris Llewellyn
    11MFDanny Boshell
    12DFJamie Clarke
    13GKGary Montgomery
    14MFJames Hunt
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16MFJean-Paul Kalala
    17MFNick Hegarty
    18MFPeter Bore
    19FWDanny North
    20FWAndy Taylor
    22FWNathan Jarman
    23MFGrant Normington
    24MFLiam Trotter
    25MFRob Atkinson
    27GKLeigh Overton
    ?FWJean-Louis Akpa Akpro
    ?MFMickael Buscher
    1GKJoe Anyon
    2DFSam Stockley
    3MFRob Taylor
    4MFAnthony Griffith
    5DFJohn McCombe
    6DFLuke Prosser
    7MFShane Tudor
    8MFDavid Howland
    9FWMarc Richards (captain)
    11 MFPaul Edwards
    12 GKChris Martin
    14 FWLouis Dodds
    15 MFScott Brown (on loan from Cheltenham Town)
    16 FWKyle Perry
    17 FWSteve Thompson
    18 MFDanny Glover
    19 MFSimon Richman
    20 MFRoss Davidson
    21 FWJames Lawrie
    22 DFDanny Edwards
    23 MFLuke Chapman
    24 DFLee Collins (on loan from Wolves)
    25 MFDamien McCrory (on loan from Plymouth Argyle)
    26 MFDave Brammer (on loan from Millwall)
    27 DFGareth Owen (on loan from Stockport County)
    28 MFNeil MacKenzie (on loan from Notts County)

    Head to Head

    Grimsby have only won two out of the last nine games.

    P 81 W 35 D 16 L 30 F 139 A 124

    Port Vale Head-to-Head (26th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Port Vale 5 Grimsby 1 (Sat 17th Jan 2004)

    A 5-1 hammering in Town's last relegation season.

    Report

    Prediction

    A week of rests signings and rumours should give the team a much needed boost bring on the 3 points!

    Port Vale 1-2 Grimsby Town

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