Saturday 1st October 2022

[kieran_vale]

Bolton H - drew 0-0.
Portsmouth H - lost 0-1.
Wednesday H - lost 0-1.

Hardly being outclassed by the top sides in this league, just lacking that extra little spark of qualify to pinch tight games. We're more than holding our own though and will comfortably be mid table.

Yeah we’ve been in all of the games and not looked out of place so that’s good. The next stage though is being able to threaten them more as the other common denominator there is we’ve been shut out in all of them. That’s the next thing we need to show we can do now.

 

[Greenacres]

I have a Season Ticket for this season, but I will not be attending anymore home games until this utter fraud is sacked! I just get too angry and frustrated at his awful tactics and lineups! He’s the worst Manager in the entire football league in my opinion.

I don't think you are alone...most games there are empty seats around where I sit and it is in a block where nearly everyone is a season ticket holder.

At the moment the club feels like a ship that is drifting without anyone having a hand on the steering wheel...I wonder how long it will be before people start turning on those running the club, ie: Dale and his yes man Staelens, it usually happens when things are going disastrously wrong on and off the pitch.

 

[BarrieOwl]

I don't think you are alone...most games there are empty seats around where I sit and it is in a block where nearly everyone is a season ticket holder.

At the moment the club feels like a ship that is drifting without anyone having a hand on the steering wheel...I wonder how long it will be before people start turning on those running the club, ie: Dale and his yes man Staelens, it usually happens when things are going disastrously wrong on and off the pitch.

You were always going to hit a ceiling where you are simply not going to have it your own way and reading the comments on here you've all decided that means you will abandon ship. Fuck me

 

[FGR-Star]

You were always going to hit a ceiling where you are simply not going to have it your own way and reading the comments on here you've all decided that means you will abandon ship. Fuck me

Bit simplistic thinking that. A lot more going on at FGR than just losing some games. You don’t know the half of it with all due respect.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Deserved a point there. Beaten by a fantastic strike from a Championship level player. You just have to applaud something like that (which I did in the ground tbf).

Pitch is appalling and as we get closer towards Winter, will probably decide how some games go tbh. Really needs addressing in summer 2023 that does.

Wednesday were very ordinary. Bannan clearly stood out in terms of his off the ball movement, his first touch, the little drops of the shoulder to quickly change direction and his precise passing. Expected, of course, but still nice to see.

Their time wasting was quite frankly pathetic at times. A side with that much apparent quality should not be resorting to those sort of tactics against sides like us really. I know we moaned about Pompey but it was totally different. Pompey were just shithousing, the dark arts, breaking the game down etc.. classic Cowley tactics. Wednesday were just downright cheating at points. Number 7 attempting to get Conlon sent off was absolutely laughable. I think Moore subbed him off out of sheer embarrassment more than anything. Goalkeeper was a joke too. It wasn't even when they took the lead either. Was doing it at 0-0 too.

Only a few though so not a sole representation of Wednesday as a whole so won't be tarring them all with the same brush as that'd be unfair.

Referee... hahahahahaha. Wow! I've been going to Vale for 27 years now since I was 5 years old, and that is head and shoulders the worst refereeing display I have ever seen in my life. No superlatives would do that justice. Minus 10/10.

That had no bearing on the result though. We didn't lose because of him. We lost to a world class strike, simple as that. We didn't do anywhere enough ourselves to justify a win but certainly acquitted ourselves very well, competed for the majority and deserved a creditable draw against a side that will be there or thereabouts.

Wednesday's support, as always, very good in numbers but very poor vocally. I've moved up the stand towards the halfway line now so have a much better understanding on noise than when you're in amongst our more vocal area and you get caught up in it and think you're louder than you actually are. Ours was flat too besides pre match and on the odd occasion we looked threatening and the referee riled us up a bit more.

Good luck for the rest of the season Owls. No hard feelings from me. Always preferred you to those mongy United fans anyway (can't fucking stand them personally).

Bolton H - drew 0-0.
Portsmouth H - lost 0-1.
Wednesday H - lost 0-1.

Hardly being outclassed by the top sides in this league, just lacking that extra little spark of quality to pinch tight games. We're more than holding our own though and will comfortably be mid table.

I think that's spot on. We're just a touch short in the creative side but otherwise look fairly even. Wednesday just had a bit of quality here and there, but they should with the wages they are paying. As a collective I didn't think they were better than us. They were actually quite direct and I lost count of the amount of passes that went out of play.

Agree about the antics of some of the Wednesday players. Particularly the number 18 who had a slight shove in the back and looked like he needed life saving surgery, it really was pathetic. The number 7, instead of concentrating on his own poor performance, decided that going down under every challenge was the best way to distract. The free kick that Bannan put just wide wasn't even a foul. Fatty in goal also deserving of special praise.There was just no need for it...really poor from a team with supposed quality players that surely don't need to resort to it. What was the huge world cup winning celebration for the goal all about, complete with back flips? It was a bit over the top against little Port Vale.

I don't think the referee got much right all afternoon. He allowed physical challenges from Wednesday players all afternoon but blew up every time they hit the deck. Although it didn't materially affect the result, the build up soft fouls can ruin any momentum.

Bannan is a good player. Is he worth the alleged 27k per week? The jury is out, but he clearly has talent and if someone is stupid enough to pay him that then good luck to him. Funnily enough, I didn't think any of their creative players were that good, but the giant central defender was excellent, swept up everything.

Give us 3 or 4 years in this league, with a few more additions and we win that game today.

Still....it was a bit of a free hit so no disgrace in the end.

 

[LancashireTrotters]

Bit simplistic thinking that. A lot more going on at FGR than just losing some games. You don’t know the half of it with all due respect.

Go on…

 

[PlymouthCasual]

What is it Port Vale fans and continually trying to justify there position within this division? After every game all we read is how close the game was and how you guys will be fine this year.

Last time I checked you are here on merit and merit alone, stop being so defensive of your position and try enjoying a game or two

 

[Greenacres]

Bit simplistic thinking that. A lot more going on at FGR than just losing some games. You don’t know the half of it with all due respect.

Exactly, I have heard of one person who has stopped attending games because Dale thinks it is a good idea to fly the flag of one of the most homophobic states on the planet during games.

 

[BarrieOwl]

I think that's spot on. We're just a touch short in the creative side but otherwise look fairly even. Wednesday just had a bit of quality here and there, but they should with the wages they are paying. As a collective I didn't think they were better than us. They were actually quite direct and I lost count of the amount of passes that went out of play.

Agree about the antics of some of the Wednesday players. Particularly the number 18 who had a slight shove in the back and looked like he needed life saving surgery, it really was pathetic. The number 7, instead of concentrating on his own poor performance, decided that going down under every challenge was the best way to distract. The free kick that Bannan put just wide wasn't even a foul. Fatty in goal also deserving of special praise.There was just no need for it...really poor from a team with supposed quality players that surely don't need to resort to it. What was the huge world cup winning celebration for the goal all about, complete with back flips? It was a bit over the top against little Port Vale.

I don't think the referee got much right all afternoon. He allowed physical challenges from Wednesday players all afternoon but blew up every time they hit the deck. Although it didn't materially affect the result, the build up soft fouls can ruin any momentum.

Bannan is a good player. Is he worth the alleged 27k per week? The jury is out, but he clearly has talent and if someone is stupid enough to pay him that then good luck to him. Funnily enough, I didn't think any of their creative players were that good, but the giant central defender was excellent, swept up everything.

Give us 3 or 4 years in this league, with a few more additions and we win that game today.

Still....it was a bit of a free hit so no disgrace in the end.

 

[valefan16]

Deserved a point there. Beaten by a fantastic strike from a Championship level player. You just have to applaud something like that (which I did in the ground tbf).

Pitch is appalling and as we get closer towards Winter, will probably decide how some games go tbh. Really needs addressing in summer 2023 that does.

Wednesday were very ordinary. Bannan clearly stood out in terms of his off the ball movement, his first touch, the little drops of the shoulder to quickly change direction and his precise passing. Expected, of course, but still nice to see.

Their time wasting was quite frankly pathetic at times. A side with that much apparent quality should not be resorting to those sort of tactics against sides like us really. I know we moaned about Pompey but it was totally different. Pompey were just shithousing, the dark arts, breaking the game down etc.. classic Cowley tactics. Wednesday were just downright cheating at points. Number 7 attempting to get Conlon sent off was absolutely laughable. I think Moore subbed him off out of sheer embarrassment more than anything. Goalkeeper was a joke too. It wasn't even when they took the lead either. Was doing it at 0-0 too.

Only a few though so not a sole representation of Wednesday as a whole so won't be tarring them all with the same brush as that'd be unfair.

Referee... hahahahahaha. Wow! I've been going to Vale for 27 years now since I was 5 years old, and that is head and shoulders the worst refereeing display I have ever seen in my life. No superlatives would do that justice. Minus 10/10.

That had no bearing on the result though. We didn't lose because of him. We lost to a world class strike, simple as that. We didn't do anywhere enough ourselves to justify a win but certainly acquitted ourselves very well, competed for the majority and deserved a creditable draw against a side that will be there or thereabouts.

Wednesday's support, as always, very good in numbers but very poor vocally. I've moved up the stand towards the halfway line now so have a much better understanding on noise than when you're in amongst our more vocal area and you get caught up in it and think you're louder than you actually are. Ours was flat too besides pre match and on the odd occasion we looked threatening and the referee riled us up a bit more.

Good luck for the rest of the season Owls. No hard feelings from me. Always preferred you to those mongy United fans anyway (can't fucking stand them personally).

Bolton H - drew 0-0.
Portsmouth H - lost 0-1.
Wednesday H - lost 0-1.

Hardly being outclassed by the top sides in this league, just lacking that extra little spark of quality to pinch tight games. We're more than holding our own though and will comfortably be mid table.

Good post and DC alluded to it in his interview after, we are competitive against these big clubs and that’s the start, we need to develop so in the future we beat them but we’ve not been outclassed and bar a wonder goal we get a deserved well earned point.

The Atmosphere was strange as I mentioned at HT. Not sure why they were so quiet as they are usually superb when they’ve come down in the past.

Overall i can’t be downhearted all be it disappointed to lose. We’ve gone toe to toe no player did anything wrong and it was a moment of magic that it took to break us.

It was far better than last week and feel far more positive after today than I did after getting a point against Cheltenham for example.

 

[BarrieOwl]

Bit simplistic thinking that. A lot more going on at FGR than just losing some games. You don’t know the half of it with all due respect.

Yeah my opinion is from afar, I have little knowledge of what underlying issues your club has but I see a club rise to the 3rd tier on the whims and finances of a man who you are now moaning about.

 

[Chris FGR]

I don't think you are alone...most games there are empty seats around where I sit and it is in a block where nearly everyone is a season ticket holder.

At the moment the club feels like a ship that is drifting without anyone having a hand on the steering wheel...I wonder how long it will be before people start turning on those running the club, ie: Dale and his yes man Staelens, it usually happens when things are going disastrously wrong on and off the pitch.

Tbh I’m not a massive fan of Staelens.

 

[Bartonyellow]

For just one Saturday night - just one, I can sit here with the popcorn and read you lot moan and whinge whilst all in our world is fine and dandy till Tuesday night.
Strange feeling.

 

[BarrieOwl]

For just one Saturday night - just one, I can sit here with the popcorn and read you lot moan and whinge whilst all in our world is fine and dandy till Tuesday night.
Strange feeling.

Enjoy the change pal

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Too many sideways moved in from the electric business, Not saying he should have had a load of football dinosaurs but bit of experience in sports clubs rather than telemarketing leccy deals would be better. Always a bit dubious about making your son stadium manager too though at least he has made that his main career.

 

[Tom_ITFC]

So glad we won that, would have been gutted to lose 2 points due to two questionable penalty decisions. Once again poor ref…who was warming up pre match in equivalent attire to Portsmouth’s training gear.

Amazing atmosphere when we got the third, the perfect game for a winning goal like that in front of the first of 3 cheaper games (£20 per game still unless bought as a package at £45) and 28k crowd. Will certainly grap hold of more fans to keep coming.

Only 1 offside all game by both teams and that came in added time! Not seen a game with that before.

 

[Tea Towel]

I think that's spot on. We're just a touch short in the creative side but otherwise look fairly even. Wednesday just had a bit of quality here and there, but they should with the wages they are paying. As a collective I didn't think they were better than us. They were actually quite direct and I lost count of the amount of passes that went out of play.

Agree about the antics of some of the Wednesday players. Particularly the number 18 who had a slight shove in the back and looked like he needed life saving surgery, it really was pathetic. The number 7, instead of concentrating on his own poor performance, decided that going down under every challenge was the best way to distract. The free kick that Bannan put just wide wasn't even a foul. Fatty in goal also deserving of special praise.There was just no need for it...really poor from a team with supposed quality players that surely don't need to resort to it. What was the huge world cup winning celebration for the goal all about, complete with back flips? It was a bit over the top against little Port Vale.

I don't think the referee got much right all afternoon. He allowed physical challenges from Wednesday players all afternoon but blew up every time they hit the deck. Although it didn't materially affect the result, the build up soft fouls can ruin any momentum.

Bannan is a good player. Is he worth the alleged 27k per week? The jury is out, but he clearly has talent and if someone is stupid enough to pay him that then good luck to him. Funnily enough, I didn't think any of their creative players were that good, but the giant central defender was excellent, swept up everything.

Give us 3 or 4 years in this league, with a few more additions and we win that game today.

Still....it was a bit of a free hit so no disgrace in the end.

You’re like a broken record, fucking hell.

The obsession with our budget is strange, it’s not even the biggest in the league!

Bannan has called out a journalist for talking shit tonight who claimed he was on 20k a week let alone 27k.

No one has claimed we’re amazing, let alone our own fans, so why you keep blabbering on about how we “weren’t that good anyway” is beyond me. We know we’re not.

 

[Fuzzyvalefan]

So are you saying we didn't give you a decent game? Given we have just come up from League 2 and you are paying players 20 grand a week, I think the margins between the teams were negligible. 9 times out of 10 thats a draw because 9 times out of 10 that shot flies into the stands. Given you are about at your lowest ebb of the past 30 years, maybe a little bit of humility may be in order. Otherwise, you just come across as a massive weapon.

And some of your antics once you went ahead were bloody embarrassing to be honest. Grown men throwing themselves to the floor when they literally haven't been touched. I would be ashamed.

 

[BarrieOwl]

So glad we won that, would have been gutted to lose 2 points due to two questionable penalty decisions. Once again poor ref…who was warming up pre match in equivalent attire to Portsmouth’s training gear.

Amazing atmosphere when we got the third, the perfect game for a winning goal like that in front of the first of 3 cheaper games (£20 per game still unless bought as a package at £45) and 28k crowd. Will certainly grap hold of more fans to keep coming.

Only 1 offside all game by both teams and that came in added time! Not seen a game with that before.

Excellent attendance.

 

[BarrieOwl]

So are you saying we didn't give you a decent game? Given we have just come up from League 2 and you are paying players 20 grand a week, I think the margins between the teams were negligible. 9 times out of 10 thats a draw because 9 times out of 10 that shot flies into the stands. Given you are about at your lowest ebb of the past 30 years, maybe a little bit of humility may be in order. Otherwise, you just come across as a massive weapon.

I'm laughing at his post.

I've said earlier in the thread what I saw.

It took us about 30 minutes to weather the storm and get a foothold, the 2nd half you barely made the keeper work and after the goal we had control, that is not a slight, Vale looked capable but up top it was a one of them days where things didn't come off and Harrison looked isolated.

I have nothing but humility, we are here because we deserve to be, and its our lowest ebb on 18 years cos the side we had out at Vale Park in Feb 04 was one of the worst squads I've witnessed.

We aren't paying 20k a week, contracts got cut after relegation and fell in line with an FFP agreed protocol we had to agree to.

 

[Si Robin]

For just one Saturday night - just one, I can sit here with the popcorn and read you lot moan and whinge whilst all in our world is fine and dandy till Tuesday night.
Strange feeling.

Think I'll join you - it's rare we have such a comfy afternoon, but Shrewsbury looked absolutely bereft going forward today, and we actually looked decent.

Annoyingly, today was the first time I've ever heard away fans boo a player who was being stretchered off (not all Shrewsbury fans, I hasten to add). And when it's our highest ever League goalscorer, it's very concerning for us.

 

[Tom_ITFC]

Excellent attendance.

Same can be said for yourselves, even more so considering the rail strikes (I’m guessing the strikes were countrywide?).

The last train out of Ipswich today towards London direction was before the final whistle!

 

[BarrieOwl]

Same can be said for yourselves, even more so considering the rail strikes (I’m guessing the strikes were countrywide?).

The last train out of Ipswich today towards London direction was before the final whistle!

Train to Stoke isn't as straightforward as you'd think so is easier to drive usually.

 

[thewwfc]

The Argyle players should take a bow for being booed and encouraged to get on with things by the home fans. Though there was only four minutes added on, nearly all for the subs.

Yup - obviously we can’t complain when the tables are turned but there was a few comments on our forum that we were “out-Wycombed” today.

But no complaints about the result, the pen was a pen, and if we don’t score then that’s on us.

Your manager got the tactics right, and your defenders took Mehmeti and Vokes out of the game well.

Good travelling support, and made a lot of noise, noise from the home fans mostly consisted of moaning.

I really can’t tell from that performance whether PAFC are the real deal or not, but then we didn’t challenge them enough to raise their game, so you can’t complain if a team does just enough to win the game and nothing more - you could say that’s just the mark of a solid professional team.

Anyway. The shit start to the season continues. Oxford away next week is looking like a very interesting game, two sides that have done well in recent seasons both with deeply unimpressive early season form.

Too early to call this a relegation six pointer, but a win for either side would be massive for team morale.

Sadly more often than not, games of this kind tend to be nervous, cagey affairs with both sides looking more afraid to lose than going for it, but time will tell.

 

[LeonTheGreen]

Yup - obviously we can’t complain when the tables are turned but there was a few comments on our forum that we were “out-Wycombed” today.

But no complaints about the result, the pen was a pen, and if we don’t score then that’s on us.

Your manager got the tactics right, and your defenders took Mehmeti and Vokes out of the game well.

Good travelling support, and made a lot of noise, noise from the home fans mostly consisted of moaning.

I really can’t tell from that performance whether PAFC are the real deal or not, but then we didn’t challenge them enough to raise their game, so you can’t complain if a team does just enough to win the game and nothing more - you could say that’s just the mark of a solid professional team.

Anyway. The shit start to the season continues. Oxford away next week is looking like a very interesting game, two sides that have done well in recent seasons both with deeply unimpressive early season form.

Too early to call this a relegation six pointer, but a win for either side would be massive for team morale.

Sadly more often than not, games of this kind tend to be nervous, cagey affairs with both sides looking more afraid to lose than going for it, but time will tell.

We abandoned our usual style of play today. Mumba for example last Sunday was excellent on tv and dropped today. Basically put our tallest defenders and striker in the team to try and get a result.

Nice to see we can switch it up, we know how good we are at our passing moves and high press but today showed we can get down and dirty if we have to.

Last season you bullied us and Schuey learnt from that, great to see. You won’t be near the bottom for to long, Mcleary, Horgan, Mehmeti and Vokes is a good front 4 for this division.

 

[thewwfc]

We abandoned our usual style of play today. Mumba for example last Sunday was excellent on tv and dropped today. Basically put our tallest defenders and striker in the team to try and get a result.

Nice to see we can switch it up, we know how good we are at our passing moves and high press but today showed we can get down and dirty if we have to.

Last season you bullied us and Schuey learnt from that, great to see. You won’t be near the bottom for to long, Mcleary, Horgan, Mehmeti and Vokes is a good front 4 for this division.

Yup, fair enough. Just read Schumacher’s interview, fair play, he went out of his way to adapt to us (and break the voodoo that we have had over you for a while) and it worked. Can’t fault him for that.

I’m not really arsed about our position right now, but we do look like a team that’s less than the sum of its parts right now, and that’s the first time in a long time I’ve thought that.

I think this will be a mid-table season for us, but we’ve probably been spoiled in recent seasons with promotions and playoff challenges, it’s looking less optimistic this season. But so be it.

 

[valefan16]

What is it Port Vale fans and continually trying to justify there position within this division? After every game all we read is how close the game was and how you guys will be fine this year.

Last time I checked you are here on merit and merit alone, stop being so defensive of your position and try enjoying a game or two

2 promotions in 28 years! We’ve got used to failure and probably feel apologetic for success! It’s rare to be in this position on the back of promotion to know how to handle it, but we are realistic, we are sold that this is a journey based on growing year on year so we have to be honest in our aims of a solid season being staying out of trouble at the bottom at the moment and that we haven’t the experience or muscle to compete with the big boys at this moment.

Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich, Derby probably have 4 or 5 times our wage budget so we have to develop our players to compete and that will take time. We can’t go and buy top L1 players so we’ve invested in young lads (Forrester today for example who was outstanding) to add to some of our more experienced players.

We are only 18 months into this process and that process started with us on the back of a run of 3 wins in 25 and staring at relegation from the football league. We’ve come a long way in a short time period but now the harder work of that process kicks in as we are not one of the bigger fish in the pond that we probably are in league two.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

We abandoned our usual style of play today. Mumba for example last Sunday was excellent on tv and dropped today. Basically put our tallest defenders and striker in the team to try and get a result.

Nice to see we can switch it up, we know how good we are at our passing moves and high press but today showed we can get down and dirty if we have to.

Last season you bullied us and Schuey learnt from that, great to see. You won’t be near the bottom for to long, Mcleary, Horgan, Mehmeti and Vokes is a good front 4 for this division.

Yeah it was as if Schuey lined up the tallest outfield players against the wall and chose them to play. It worked.

 

[BarrieOwl]

2 promotions in 28 years! We’ve got used to failure and probably feel apologetic for success! It’s rare to be in this position on the back of promotion to know how to handle it, but we are realistic, we are sold that this is a journey based on growing year on year so we have to be honest in our aims of a solid season being staying out of trouble at the bottom at the moment and that we haven’t the experience or muscle to compete with the big boys at this moment.

Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich, Derby probably have 4 or 5 times our wage budget so we have to develop our players to compete and that will take time. We can’t go and buy top L1 players so we’ve invested in young lads (Forrester today for example who was outstanding) to add to some of our more experienced players.

We are only 18 months into this process and that process started with us on the back of a run of 3 wins in 25 and staring at relegation from the football league. We’ve come a long way in a short time period but now the harder work of that process kicks in as we are not one of the bigger fish in the pond that we probably are in league two.

And that is admirable and something many clubs should aspire to be like. We have a higher budget cos our income allows it to be like that, I can't apologise for my club having a larger fanbase etc

 

[Moomin]

Frantic game today but had a really good feel about it. Both teams tried to win it, but I think a draw was about right.

We will feel more disappointed after conceding so late, but I enjoyed the game overall. Jevani will be kicking himself for not finishing his chance to make it 3-1 late on and then, uncharacteristically losing possession in the buildup to the equaliser.

Great to see SJP sold out and hopefully we can do that many more times this season.

Shame it looks like it’s Taylor’s last game and our next move is crucial.