Port Vale v 2013 FA Cup Winners

[joethegill]

Is it just me that couldn't give a toss if we're bigger or smaller than anyone else? We're all in League One FFS, we're all shit.

 

[mozzavale]

Wigan are bigger than us now, however historically are tiny, anyone recall April 1993 at Springfield park ? Wigan 0 Vale 4 Attendance 3743 of which at least 1500 were Vale supporters, thats my shout on this one.

I remember that match well. Our fans standing on the grass bank behind the goal. There's a video of it on you tube.

I think this whole size debate depends on your age. This Wigan fan seems like he's about 15, the constant hahahahahaha's is the give away. The Burton fan seems quite young too, simply from the opinions he has. Lets face it, Wigan are, now, bigger than us. The same can be said for clubs like Swansea, Bournemouth and Cardiff, all of which are bigger than us right now.

I remember watching us in the 80's and 90's though, so that is what influences my view on certain clubs and their size over the years, which is hard to shift. Games at Cardiff and Swansea with only 2/3000 home fans affect your opinion of a club at a young age. Around that time Wigan were a similar sized team to Chester or Crewe.

There are a lot of teams that can vary in size over a period of time. There are however certain clubs that regardless of how s**t they become, they will always be a huge club. Man City in the late 90's in this league. Both Sheffield clubs, Forest, Leeds, Wolves etc, they've all spent time down here yet their support has remained huge in comparison to most. They will always, always be huge clubs. You then get clubs like Bristol City and Stoke. In these lower leagues they average 10-12k. A few seasons of success and Bristol could easily get the 25,000 home fans Stoke regularly get now.

Wigan are different though, as we're seeing now. Their fall from the top flight has seen their attendances also plummet. If they spend as long down here as Oldham have for example, I reckon they'd end up getting similar attendances as them.

 

[valefan16]

I remember that match well. Our fans standing on the grass bank behind the goal. There's a video of it on you tube.

I think this whole size debate depends on your age. This Wigan fan seems like he's about 15, the constant hahahahahaha's is the give away. The Burton fan seems quite young too, simply from the opinions he has. Lets face it, Wigan are, now, bigger than us. The same can be said for clubs like Swansea, Bournemouth and Cardiff, all of which are bigger than us right now.

I remember watching us in the 80's and 90's though, so that is what influences my view on certain clubs and their size over the years, which is hard to shift. Games at Cardiff and Swansea with only 2/3000 home fans affect your opinion of a club at a young age. Around that time Wigan were a similar sized team to Chester or Crewe.

There are a lot of teams that can vary in size over a period of time. There are however certain clubs that regardless of how s**t they become, they will always be a huge club. Man City in the late 90's in this league. Both Sheffield clubs, Forest, Leeds, Wolves etc, they've all spent time down here yet their support has remained huge in comparison to most. They will always, always be huge clubs. You then get clubs like Bristol City and Stoke. In these lower leagues they average 10-12k. A few seasons of success and Bristol could easily get the 25,000 home fans Stoke regularly get now.

Wigan are different though, as we're seeing now. Their fall from the top flight has seen their attendances also plummet. If they spend as long down here as Oldham have for example, I reckon they'd end up getting similar attendances as them.

Great post to be fair, I think its also worth pointing out that the Premier League emphasized Wigan as a small club on occasions too, I recall watching games against the likes of Arsenal and there were empty seats whereas the majority of clubs would sell out for a big 4 visit and often took very small away followings at that level, I think this also shows what a great achievement Wigan did when reaching the Premier League to stay there though and they will benefit with a few Prem clingers on staying similar to how Bradford got a few extra (then pushed it further with the cheap tickets). I enjoyed watching Wigan under Jewell with their wing play too so haven't a bad word to say about the club itself, its the system the parachute payments sets up that grates when it adds and unfair advantage and an unnecessary one once a side hits League One.

Younger Wigan fans will only remember the Premier League days and consider themselves a Premier League club however similar to certain aged Vale fans after coming down from the Championship after nearly a decade when we were often knocking Prem clubs out the cup and at one point knocking on the Premiership door struggled to comprehend the clubs decline and I am sure it is the same for any club.

As for the game it will be a tricky one, we have shown we can keep out Burnley for 90 minutes without them forcing a save from our keeper and kept out a 16 million pound West Brom strike force away from home for 2 hours so there is no reason we can't keep that solid foundation tomorrow, we will need to take our chances though better than we have and get something close to the massacre performance against Doncaster.

Been a good 11-12 years since we've faced Wigan, recall plenty of 1-0 results either way and a 0-0 when our keeper got injured in the 30th minute and our defender Liam Burns kept a clean sheet for an hour! A win would really cement our improvement on last season though so hopefully we can get at them and get a result.

 

[valefan16]

Is it just me that couldn't give a toss if we're bigger or smaller than anyone else? We're all in League One FFS, we're all shit.

Firthy will be having you in a straightjacket for that comment!

 

[markpvfc]

History completely irrelevant when it comes to football. Therefore Wigan are a much bigger club than us and with their resources and squad they have anything we get out of this game will be a bonus.

 

[mozzavale]

History completely irrelevant when it comes to football. Therefore Wigan are a much bigger club than us and with their resources and squad they have anything we get out of this game will be a bonus.

I agree that Wigan are a bigger club than us now, but it's not that black and white is it. Would you say that Bournemouth are bigger than; Leeds, Wednesday, Forest, Wolves etc etc?

 

[TomPNE94]

History completely irrelevant when it comes to football. Therefore Wigan are a much bigger club than us and with their resources and squad they have anything we get out of this game will be a bonus.

Surely if history is irrelevant then you are bigger as you're ahead of them in the league?

 

[HertsWolf]

I always feel that the opposition is a big club if the home support numbers are up when they come to visit. Does that make sense? I know what I mean. Guess you have to factor in the local rivalry aspect as well though.
I don't ever recall people queuing up for hours to get in to see Wigan when they came to us.

 

[Bartonyellow]

well no one has queued up to watch us that's for sure . Not that I would lose any sleep over it.

 

[Bartonyellow]

Back on topic I'm going for 1 1 draw

 

[Freakyteeth]

hahahahahahaha

 

[valefan16]

Right result in the end but we nearly ballsed it up! Should of put it to bed before they got back in it!

 

[Dan Phillips]

I hope your mud hut collapses you little wankstain!

Who's laughing now? You can shove your FA Cup up your arse.

 

[mozzavale]

Well that was extremely satisfying

 

[markpvfc]

Brilliant for an hour and should've put it to bed then. After their comeback I was expecting them to go on and win it, but we're made of different stuff this year and got the win we deserved.
Quality goal be Grant, I think he's very much like Griff with regards his shooting, most of his efforts are woeful but every now and again he'll nail one.

 

[Vale on Trent]

Up the Vale x

 

[Dan Phillips]

I'm throwing this out there.

Anthony Grant - one of the best midfielders in this league.

Fact.

 

[valefan16]

Well back from the game and have zero throat left after that drama!

Great a deserved result and would have been a travesty had we not won that! Fairly even first half but Grants stunner had us in front but second half we started on the front foot and battered Wigan eventually scoring a deserved second. Then we went to sleep a wee bit and gifted Wigan a way back in when Dicko let Davies beat him and their lad gets a tap in, we had a wobble but Uche and Purkiss both missed glorious chances to kill it off before a sloppy goal from a corner saw them 2-2 and it felt like we'd been mugged and I feared we'd lose it. No fear though as Andoh was put clean through their guy takes a red for the team... Going off to a standing ovation from the home fans for winning them a point... Only for the free kick to come in be partially cleared before Purkiss pings in a cross and Uche gets a shot away... Blocked but from six yards out he fires home and the place erupts.

Great performance bar the sloppy spell after we went 2-0 up when we let them get back in it. Referee was dreadful and I was a surprised he got the red card out considering he seemed incapable of giving us anything! Their lad stamped and kicked Andoh after he was clearly fouled and grabbed the ball... Ref played on despite a) Andoh handling if it wasn't deemed a foul and be the kicking out at him! Moore getting a yellow for 'diving' when hacked down etc and the linesman was even worse having to be overruled two or three times by the referee!

Wigan won't go up under Caldwell I'd say that much, plenty of quality up front, shite defence and seemed to think they were Arsenal playing all this short passing from the goal kicks and knocking it around the back only to then get caught under pressure from it! Seemed to still be trying to play the Premier League way without the quality to do it and playing with that slow tempo and build up will see organised sides get results against them at this level. He doesn't seem to be using the quality he has correctly at all.

As for us, disappointed with the sloppy spell but it will be a good lesson to learn without the consequences in the end as we won the game. Crewe fans must be pig sick letting Grant go, he is like Griff but ten times better! Plays the ball well, tackles and breaks up play and must be one of the best in the league at his role. Uche is finally settling and getting the goals too and four goals already is better than we were told to expect.

Overall a very welcome result and repairs the tired late defeat against Bradford. Onto a big game Tuesday and if we win that game in hand were in the top six places. Our late pre season optimism is so far being justified, need to keep our feet on the ground and take it one game at a time and see where it takes us.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Congratulations Vale on a monumental giant killing.
I expect a commemorative plaque will be hung to remind future generations of this day.

 

[Steven Simcock]

Well deserved win but at one point i was thinking of the Wigan Vs Chesterfield last week.

 

[Dan Phillips]

Congratulations Vale on a monumental giant killing.
I expect a commemorative plaque will be hung to remind future generations of this day.

Wigan didn't win mate. We did.

 

[Dave-Vale]

Wigan must be desperate to get out of this league before the parachute payments dry up and they drop back to their natural level.

 

[AusGill]

Wigan won't go up under Caldwell I'd say that much, plenty of quality up front, shite defence and seemed to think they were Arsenal playing all this short passing from the goal kicks and knocking it around the back only to then get caught under pressure from it! Seemed to still be trying to play the Premier League way without the quality to do it and playing with that slow tempo and build up will see organised sides get results against them at this level. He doesn't seem to be using the quality he has correctly at all.

I think this is word-for-word what happened when Gills beat them 2-0.

Good win Vale.

 

[valefan16]

I think this is word-for-word what happened when Gills beat them 2-0.

Good win Vale.

You watch Premier League sides knock it out from the keeper to the back line and that get allowed the space to do it but in league one you don't. It was so naive! Half the time the keeper would call the defenders in... We'd close them down before he took the kick and then end up wasting time and scooping it long. Very strange. I fancy they will sack the manager by the seasons end.

 

[leedsvaliant]

My take on the game was the first half was fairly even with no real chances until we scored.

The second half we were massively on top and deservedly scored a second. We could and probably should have scored more during this period. Then from nowhere Wigan scored 2 goals and everyone was stunned as we were so in control.
In the end the lad deservedly got sent off and we were worthy winners. Grant was an absolute beast again and has to be one of the best players in the league. Uche was quiet but still caused problems and they couldn't handle little andoh at times.

What pleases me is how balanced we look as a side, everyone knows their job and is organised. We've actually got players that can put their foot on the ball and have the ability to keep it.

Wigan look like a work in progress to me. A better side than Doncaster and a dangerous forward line but their defence offered us several opportunities second half and looked really all over the place at times. I still expect them to be up there come the end of the season which goes to show what a good result this is.

 

[TomPNE94]

prob 2000-2500

Close that mate.

 

[darren gregory]

My slant on the game was first half only 2 chances of note Vukic completely free header and Ikpeazu header flashed across goal. Second half we mullered them creating at least 6 or 7 goal chances, combination of poor finishing , good keeping and pure luck stopped us being 4-0 up. Referee and linesman were competing for the biggest clown award. Comparison between the clubs is when they can bring Grigg on at 2-0 down. Wigan basically played for 20 minutes which is 10 minutes more than they did at Chesterfield last week, you aint going win games doing that week in week out. Thought the standing ovation and chanting of Leon Leon was funny when the bloke cost them possibly 3 points with his foul !! What numb nuts. Probably only one winner with 10 mins left and he cocked it up the dozy carthorse, but if it,s worth a standing ovation getting sent off well done lad and thanks for the 3 points. Grant was absolutely brilliant again and if a side bottom of the league plummeting to League 2 think he can,t make their first 11 then Steve Davis has a weird view on football. Think he been man of match 4 times in 6 games. So far 7 points at home against the unbeaten leaders and 2 strongly fancied sides in Donny and Wigan , i wanted Page sacked last year it was dire but i,ll hold my hands up now it is HIS team we are playing an exciting attacking game and i actually am enjoying going to the game, long may it continue and even if we lose games 3-2 at least will feel we gave it a go and i was entertained. Onto Millwall now Tuesday they are 7 from 9 away so tough game but play like yesterday and we should have good chance of 3 points. Thanks again Leon.

 

[valefan16]

To be fair if Barnett hasn't got sent off we'd likely have scored anyway as Enoch was clean through but good to see justice was done with the winner after making such a cynical foul. I'd want one of our players to take one for the team in that situation though with two minutes to go!

 

[Freakyteeth]

Grant effectively won us the game with his fantastic challenge and long ball that directly led to the red, free kick and goal.

And scored a cracker first half.

Silly Crewe.

 

[wiganmudhuts28]

Port vale deserved it fair play