MATCHWATCH : Port Vale (h)

[Snowflake Royal]

I maintain there's no must win games at this stage of the season, this close to the safety line.

But it's another mustn't lose.

Keep the gap to under 6 points and stop those around us gaining points on us is enough. For now.

Unless we really are selling our best players in which case we have to win every game whilst we have them.

[WestYorksRoyal]

It will be interesting to see how events off the pitch affect tomorrow's performance.

[leon]

See nothing other than a comfortable home win.

I hope you are right, but there's not exactly a lot to pick between most of the teams in this division, and it wouldn't take much of a dip in performances to be struggling again. We still let in too many goals, meaning we almost always need to score at least two to win.

And Port Vale are just the kind of dreary totally uninspiring club to come down and get a 3-0 win from nowhere.

They've done that before, on their last trip to Elm Park. Cue post match pitch invasion and SJM actually talking to fans on the pitch.

I was on the pitch that afternoon. As I bet a few on here were as well. Happy Days!

[Stranded]

I maintain there's no must win games at this stage of the season, this close to the safety line.

But it's another mustn't lose.

Keep the gap to under 6 points and stop those around us gaining points on us is enough. For now.

Unless we really are selling our best players in which case we have to win every game whilst we have them.

Until 1st Feb, then we have to work as if the final statement is the case & look to win tomorrow and at Wigan initially to get closer too or past some clubs.

If we lose key players then it becomes a harder job to stay up regardless but if we can be level on points with more clubs it gives us a slightly better chance.

[WestYorksRoyal]

We've seen how ineffective the team without Smith is. Lose him and another and we may as well give up on this season now. Losing Abbey would be a blow, but in the short term we're well stocked there with McIntyre coming back. It would be a long term disappointment as Abbey could become a cornerstone.

Back to tomorrow, the key is whether off pitch events have affected preparations and mentality. If we can pick up where we left off on new years day we should have too much for them.

[NathStPaul]

I hope you are right, but there's not exactly a lot to pick between most of the teams in this division, and it wouldn't take much of a dip in performances to be struggling again. We still let in too many goals, meaning we almost always need to score at least two to win.

And Port Vale are just the kind of dreary totally uninspiring club to come down and get a 3-0 win from nowhere.

They've done that before, on their last trip to Elm Park. Cue post match pitch invasion and SJM actually talking to fans on the pitch.

I was on the pitch that afternoon. As I bet a few on here were as well. Happy Days!

That was some of the most fun I have had at a football match. I remember a lot of the supporters were waiting by the Port Vale team bus applauding their players. Martin Foyle was handing out cans of bitter to kids. Great day.

[nailseabiscuitman]

Nobody has ever had enjoyable visit to Port Vale/Stoke pal.

Well I have, any ground where you go and win is enjoyable!

[NathStPaul]

Nobody has ever had enjoyable visit to Port Vale/Stoke pal.

Well I have, any ground where you go and win is enjoyable!

It isn't. HTH.

[Sutekh]

They've done that before, on their last trip to Elm Park. Cue post match pitch invasion and SJM actually talking to fans on the pitch.

I was on the pitch that afternoon. As I bet a few on here were as well. Happy Days!

That was some of the most fun I have had at a football match. I remember a lot of the supporters were waiting by the Port Vale team bus applauding their players. Martin Foyle was handing out cans of bitter to kids. Great day.

And JM looking shaken as the chant, "new ground, no fans" went round, went as far to say he wouldn't bow to mob pressure and sack Bullivant - but 10 days later....

[Brogue]

Nobody has ever had enjoyable visit to Port Vale/Stoke pal.

Well I have, any ground where you go and win is enjoyable!

It isn't. HTH.

quite enjoyed the stoke game where martin Allen came into the reading end before the game and gave a speech on how shit Stoke where and how pissed off their fans were after selling their best players, and how we should give them shit.

[Mr Angry]

I remember going to watch Reading beat Port Vale at Vale Park 20 or so Years ago, and got onto the local BBC Radio Stoke post match phone in saying that Brian Horton needed to consider his position having lost at home to us, and to be followed by a succession of Port Vale fans phoning in to agree with me!



I always liked Stoke; I had a major client there and would stay over regularly, whilst my Son went to Keele. Its no better or no worse than many other former industrial places in the Country.

[tmesis]

I was on the pitch that afternoon. As I bet a few on here were as well. Happy Days!

That was some of the most fun I have had at a football match. I remember a lot of the supporters were waiting by the Port Vale team bus applauding their players. Martin Foyle was handing out cans of bitter to kids. Great day.

And JM looking shaken as the chant, "new ground, no fans" went round, went as far to say he wouldn't bow to mob pressure and sack Bullivant - but 10 days later....

Didn't Bullivant quit, saying he'd had enough of all the mickey taking etc?

[Mr Optimist]

That was some of the most fun I have had at a football match. I remember a lot of the supporters were waiting by the Port Vale team bus applauding their players. Martin Foyle was handing out cans of bitter to kids. Great day.

And JM looking shaken as the chant, "new ground, no fans" went round, went as far to say he wouldn't bow to mob pressure and sack Bullivant - but 10 days later....

Didn't Bullivant quit, saying he'd had enough of all the mickey taking etc?

Terry the taxi.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

That was some of the most fun I have had at a football match. I remember a lot of the supporters were waiting by the Port Vale team bus applauding their players. Martin Foyle was handing out cans of bitter to kids. Great day.

And JM looking shaken as the chant, "new ground, no fans" went round, went as far to say he wouldn't bow to mob pressure and sack Bullivant - but 10 days later....

Didn't Bullivant quit, saying he'd had enough of all the mickey taking etc?

At least SJM was there...Yep think Bullivant did resign in the end. I watched a video the other night on youtube the other night of season highlights from that year and we looked decent until the end of Jan. No way we should have gone down....yes he should have gone but Burns got it wrong changing the entire first team, a couple of tweaks and we would have stayed up.

[blythspartan]

The way it’s going the Vale game could be our last one at home.

Time to get on the pitch and risk a 3 year ban, which will probably equate to a couple of weeks at worst.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Bowen and Selles decide to walk and I wouldn’t blame them tbh.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

The way it’s going the Vale game could be our last one at home.

Time to get on the pitch and risk a 3 year ban, which will probably equate to a couple of weeks at worst.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Bowen and Selles decide to walk and I wouldn’t blame them tbh.

I'm coming round to this now for the first time having been a fan since 1970.

For all those going tomorrow we really need to make our support for Holmes and Abbey clear as both are apparently wavering about moving according to Earnshaw

[WestYorksRoyal]

I think tomorrow's game gets abandoning. The last 48 hours have been too much. It'll start with a trickle, and then you only need 1000 or so to be emboldened to join in and it's unmanageable for them.

[tmesis]

I think tomorrow's game gets abandoning. The last 48 hours have been too much. It'll start with a trickle, and then you only need 1000 or so to be emboldened to join in and it's unmanageable for them.

We need to move the goalposts, Scotland '77 style, in tribute to Dia's sales negotiation style.


Honestly though, I think a boycott probably makes it hardest for him to pay the bills.

[Snowflake Royal]

And JM looking shaken as the chant, "new ground, no fans" went round, went as far to say he wouldn't bow to mob pressure and sack Bullivant - but 10 days later....

Didn't Bullivant quit, saying he'd had enough of all the mickey taking etc?

At least SJM was there...Yep think Bullivant did resign in the end. I watched a video the other night on youtube the other night of season highlights from that year and we looked decent until the end of Jan. No way we should have gone down....yes he should have gone but Burns got it wrong changing the entire first team, a couple of tweaks and we would have stayed up.

I'm not saying he wasnt crap. But I always thought Bullivant got a bit of a raw deal, partly based on the stupid taxi comment, and that he might have done better than Burns the next season in L1 if he'd stayed.

I didn't join in the chants or pitch invasion.

But he never seemed to do anything elsewhere, so I was probably just being too generous.

[yuomi]

At this point it couldn't be clearer Dai'll have no second thoughts about the club going under. He's not getting any money back from his investment, and he's willing to get fined tens of thousands of pounds repeatedly for not depositing what, for him, is a measly sum as per the EFL's instructions. I don't really see how they, or anyone else, can force him to sell - and it feels like time to begin preparing for the worst.

Best case scenario is that the players take our minds off the shltshow by putting in a performance, but I can't really blame them if their minds are elsewhere.