Port Vale Forum Pre Match Interview / Report vrs Oldham

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Hi,

 

I'm the pre-match reporter for the Port Vale Fans Forum One Vale Fan.

 

Part of my role is to contact fans of our forthcoming opponents to ask them a few questions and gain their views on the upcoming fixture between our sides in order to produce a report which we release on the site a couple of days prior to the game.

 

I wondered if one or more of you (up to a maximum of 3 due to space constraints) have a few minutes and would kindly be prepared to share a few views / your feelings on the game by answering the following few questions;

 

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan?

2. How do you expect your team to do this season (including a forecast for a positional finish for the entire season)?

3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)?

4. What are your thoughts on your manager and his signings this season?

5. What are your thoughts on your board & off field club activities?

6. Which one Vale player would you take past or present to add value to your squad?

7. How do you expect Vale to do this season?

8. What is your team's most memorable game with Vale (good or bad reasons)?

9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)?

 

 

Please also feel free to include any other information you feel worthy and I will knock it into a report as per the example below regarding contribution from Notts County fans from a game with them;

http://www.onevalefan.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?76437-Opposing-views-Notts-County-%28H%29

 

 

To enable me to produce this in good time I need a reply by Sunday and the report will appear on our website prior to the fixture.

 

Please also let me know if you would like me to include your name on the article and if you are prepared to share one a photo of yourself we can utilise with the article.

 

Many thanks for your potential support in this matter.

 

Best Regards,

 

 

 

REP

[bluear]

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan? been watching Latics 26 years. Now suffer depression. It's like the film Groundhog Day, without the happy ending. I need to go elsewhere for that.

2. How do you expect your team to do this season (including a forecast for a positional finish for the entire season)? I expect us to finish 15th. Again. Stay in this division. Again.

3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)? The only danger your likely to face is a rogue smoke bomb from the crowd

4. What are your thoughts on your manager and his signings this season? which manager? Not seen a good signing yet. He's let a few decent players go out on loan though...

5. What are your thoughts on your board & off field club activities? next!

6. Which one Vale player would you take past or present to add value to your squad? Tom Pope. We used to have someone who could score goals too. I think.

7. How do you expect Vale to do this season? better than us

8. What is your team's most memorable game with Vale (good or bad reasons)?

Every game against you is bad, it reminds me of the level we're stuck at

9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)? the only scorers, plural, are likely to be for Vale. 3-0

 

 

 

REP

[Omar Don't Scare]

 

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan? been watching Latics 26 years. Now suffer depression. It's like the film Groundhog Day, without the happy ending. I need to go elsewhere for that.

2. How do you expect your team to do this season (including a forecast for a positional finish for the entire season)? I expect us to finish 15th. Again. Stay in this division. Again.

3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)? The only danger your likely to face is a rogue smoke bomb from the crowd

4. What are your thoughts on your manager and his signings this season? which manager? Not seen a good signing yet. He's let a few decent players go out on loan though...

5. What are your thoughts on your board & off field club activities? next!

6. Which one Vale player would you take past or present to add value to your squad? Tom Pope. We used to have someone who could score goals too. I think.

7. How do you expect Vale to do this season? better than us

8. What is your team's most memorable game with Vale (good or bad reasons)?

Every game against you is bad, it reminds me of the level we're stuck at

9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)? the only scorers, plural, are likely to be for Vale. 3-0

 

 

 

REP

 

Quite funny that

[Stevie_J]

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan?

Started going to Boundary Park with my dad, grandad and uncles in the mid-eighties, as Joe Royle was slowly building what went on to be the best Latics side in living memory, playing in the Premier League and tearing apart big sides with entertaining, attacking football. Have since suffered almost two decades in League One, watching boring, toothless Latics sides in the main. Don't get to BP very often these days due to family/work commitments, living up in Scotland and struggling to muster the motivation to travel so far when the football is generally :censored:.

 

2. How do you expect your team to do this season (including a forecast for a positional finish for the entire season)?

I expect us to be relegated.

 

3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)?

Our players are only a danger to themselves. On current form you won't need to worry about any of them.

 

4. What are your thoughts on your manager and his signings this season?

The recently departed Darren Kelly was a joke - a man so out of his depth it was frightening. But our Board have a policy of appointing the cheapest option. "Interim" manager (Interim meaning he was brought in as a player under Kelly with the intention of giving him the manager's job at the earliest opportunity but describing him as such for a little while clouds the issue slightly), David Dunn says a lot of the same things Kelly did, has no managerial experience or any real coaching experience so I am not jumping for joy at his appointment, since it also appears to mean that we've lost him as a player. As for his signings, he's made a couple but we haven't seen them yet - neither are strikers which is what we've been crying out for all season.

 

5. What are your thoughts on your board & off field club activities?

A lot of hopes for pushing the club forward are pinned on the new stand, which was supposed to be ready for the start of this season but still isn't open. I'm not fond of our Board; Chairman Simon Corney appears not to be around very often, likes to moan about the lack of fans and, from where I'm sitting, remains involved in the club to look after the interests of the two long-since departed directors who have a rumoured £6 million loan owed to them by the club. We have an estate agent, who's no doubt played his part in covering a lot of the land previously owned by the club in houses, an accountant and a former fans' Trust representative who probably couldn't hold the fans in lower regard and tends to put his foot in it every time he speaks publicly. There are two new directors - a commercial guy and a new Trust rep.

 

6. Which one Vale player would you take past or present to add value to your squad?

The kid you've got on loan from Watford sounds promising - we desperately need goals but he'd probably struggle to score any given the lack of service in our side.

 

7. How do you expect Vale to do this season?

Mid-table.

 

8. What is your team's most memorable game with Vale (good or bad reasons)?

Outstanding memory of Vale is as the team to inflict our first defeat of the season in mid-November and end our unbeaten run in 90/91, when we won promotion to the top flight. I thought of Vale as a bogey team for many years as we never seemed to beat you but we've faired a little better against you in recent years.

 

9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)?

0-1 (Watford kid), although, if David Cornell plays in goal for us, you could be looking at double figures.

[Hometownclub]

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan?

Started going in March 1973 with my dad, been going ever since. We had some great years under Joe Royle in the late 80's early 90's, but its been downhill all the way since then.

 

2. How do you expect your team to do this season (including a forecast for a positional finish for the entire season)?

I'm still hopeful we might stay up (but only just) its going to be a struggle for sure.

 

3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)?

No one, we don't have any players who I would consider dangerous, well not to the opposition anyway.

 

4. What are your thoughts on your manager and his signings this season?

Interim manager David Dunn in place at the moment (no managerial or coaching experience) so expectation is very low. The previous (cheapest option) manager Darren Kelly had to go though, he didn't have a clue.

 

5. What are your thoughts on your board & off field club activities?

Very complex issues off the field at Latics, with owners who haven't wanted to be here for years, we have finally at long last had a new stand built, but still yet to open. Hopefully this may generate alternative income streams to help sustain the club.

 

6. Which one Vale player would you take past or present to add value to your squad?

Sorry I don't know any of your current team, I rate Tom Pope who was/is a good goal scorer at this level.

 

7. How do you expect Vale to do this season?

Lower/mid table I expect (certainly above us).

 

8. What is your team's most memorable game with Vale (good or bad reasons)?

I have been watching Latics home and away against Vale for about 40 years, we used to have a shocking record against you especially at Vale Park, but have done better more recently, sorry no individual game stands out to be honest.

 

9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)?

Vale 2-0 Latics

[ghostofcecere]

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan?

My first game was in 1974 when I was 2, my Dad took me in to see the last 15 minutes of the match against Leyton Orient. I count my proper start season as 1986-87 though, this was when I started going with my mates. I was lucky enough to experience the whole of the "pinch me" years under Joe Royle. I pity those that missed all that, as what's followed has been dire.

2. How do you expect your team to do this season (including a forecast for a positional finish for the entire season)?

We'll probably finish 15th as usual, after flirting with either the play offs or relegation for a while. This season it's most likely relegation.

3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)?

I would have said Forte, Jones or Winchester, but the whole squad have started poorly, so there's no one to fear.

4. What are your thoughts on your manager and his signings this season?

After the shambles that was the appointment of Darren Kelly, we've not seen enough yet of David Dunn yet to evaluate him. In general our signing have been confusing to say the least, we could all see we needed to strengthen the strike force and get in a decent full back. Instead we've signed midfield players, a position where I'd say we are as strong as anyone in the league. Baffling.

5. What are your thoughts on your board & off field club activities?

I'm much less of a cynic here than many other fans. I think we have a chairman who has steadied the ship and runs the club within it's means; and whilst the delays in it's completion have been disappointing to say the least, we will soon have a new stand with facilities to be proud of. The revenue streams it will generate will increase our playing budget going forward and make us be more able to compete at the top of League 1 (I pray).

6. Which one Vale player would you take past or present to add value to your squad?

Tom Pope could be our Matt Smith replacement, we miss a physical presence up front.

7. How do you expect Vale to do this season?

They will finish above us........... mid table I expect.

8. What is your team's most memorable game with Vale (good or bad reasons)?

It's always a game I dread, I've always considered Vale one of our bogey teams. I genuinely can't remember the two clubs being involved in any sort of a decent game against each other.

9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)?

If you score you'll win, apologies but I don't know enough about your squad to say who the goalscorer(s) will be.

Edited September 23, 2015 by ghostofcecere

[deyres42]

Darren Beckford or Martin Foyle would probably get in our team now.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Smashing guys, some excellent replies there, I will submit them to the editor and he will create an article which should appear on our site next Monday.

[SAV]

Tom pope plays for bury

[Omar Don't Scare]

Tom pope plays for bury

 

Which Vale player past or present was the clue!

[Monty Burns]

Negative bastards.

[OAFCM35]

 

Which Vale player past or present was the clue!

[palmer1]

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan?

Saw a few games in 86 but started going full time the following season. Sat in a executive box with my Dad for many years. Watched all the good times and all the :censored:e since

 

 

 

2. How do you expect your team to do this season (including a forecast for a positional finish for the entire season)?

 

10th, I think Dunn can get something from this squad. We have kept our best players. The answer is getting them to play in the right way. Try and win rather than trying to avoid defeat.

 

 

3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)?

 

Liam Kelly is our captain and by far our best player. Defensive midfielder. When he plays we are hard to beat

 

 

4. What are your thoughts on your manager and his signings this season?

 

New manager in David Dunn. Haven't seen any of his signings play as its been one game but on paper they look decent. How many times has a League 1 fan said that to watch a steaming pile of crap excuse for a footballer turn on Saturday

 

 

5. What are your thoughts on your board & off field club activities?

 

Simon Corney has been a good chairman for us IMO He has made mistakes ( Darren Kelly and the new stand) and some blame him for 21 years of league 1 football. I think its boredom as the amount of conspiracys made up by Latics fans about him is riduculous. New stand opening next month should help things

 

 

6. Which one Vale player would you take past or present to add value to your squad?

 

Robbie Earle

 

7. How do you expect Vale to do this season?

 

Dont know anything about you tbh except financial difficulties? A few places behind Latics

 

 

8. What is your team's most memorable game with Vale (good or bad reasons)?

 

You stopping our 17 match unbeaten run the season we won Div 2 1990/91 we just couldn't score & winning 3-1 at Vale Park Apr 96

 

 

9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)?

 

1-1 Jones

Edited September 24, 2015 by palmer1

[GlossopLatic]

 

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan? Started in 1990 when joe Royles swoshbuckling team recaptured my dad's hunger for OAFC and have been a season ticket holder for 22 of the 25 years since.

2. How do you expect your team to do this season (including a forecast for a positional finish for the entire season)? my early season optimism has vanished Darren Kelly's appointment was a disastourous decision. I'm yet to form an opinion on David Dunn I expect us to have enough to stay up despite the fact we have no real manager in charge.

3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)? none of our players have shown anywhere near what they are capable of this season so far. If Mike Jones is played in the right position he is a threat as a box to box number 8 who can deliver a set piece.

4. What are your thoughts on your manager and his signings this season? Dunn has had 1 game jury is still out.

5. What are your thoughts on your board & off field club activities? in 2015 generally shambolic we made the disastourous attempt to sign Ched Evans on January. We were within a good shout of the play offs and Lee Johnson left we dilly dallied on an appointment performances petered out then we gave the gig to Darren Kelly which proved to be a disaster. I have a season ticket for a new stand which I can't sit in as it is yet to be complete. We have on board a former fans representative who is held in the same regard as Sepp Blatter and a chairman in Simon Corney who has always tried to do the best for the club but what I hope now is that he completes the stand sells the club and then we can say thanks for saving the club thanks for building a stand you've always tried your best many would have left in his position and then we move on. In short I think we need a change of ownership to take the club forward.

6. Which one Vale player would you take past or present to add value to your squad? a lot of the John Rudge era team Gareth Ainaworth and Steve Guppy were both excellent t wingers Poachers like Beckford and Foyle would easily get in our team at the moment as would Robbie Earle.

7. How do you expect Vale to do this season? mid table

8. What is your team's most memorable game with Vale (good or bad reasons)? Vale Park is not held in high regard by Latics fans their are a lack of decent pubs and we always lose. However my 1 visit in 2007-08 yielded a 3-0 win with Marry Wolfenden scoring a delightful chip.

9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)? you score you get a point you score 2 you win the game. We are playing dreadful and we have a bad record against vale so we will probably win, something I like to call typical Latics.

 

 

REP

Edited September 24, 2015 by GlossopLatic

[Dave_Og]

A bod=x to box no 8? What does that mean? A number 8 when I was a boy was an inside right

[GlossopLatic]

A bod=x to box no 8? What does that mean? A number 8 when I was a boy was an inside right

The likes of Steven Gerrard Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes all wore number 8 for club and or country the types of goal scoring midfielder which mike jones is on his day.