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Port Vale Forum Pre Match Interview / Report vrs Oldham


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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 or 4) have a few minutes and would be prepared to share a few views if you would kindly offer 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 Plymouth fans from a game with them last season;

http://www.onevalefan.co.uk/site/opposing-views-plymouth/

 

To enable me to produce this in good time I need a reply by Sunday 17th August nd the report should appear on the website a day or two before our fixture.

 

Please also let me know if you would like me to include your name on the article.

 

Many thanks for your potential support in this matter.

 

Best Regards,

 

 

 

REP

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Hi,

 

 

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

 

I'm 39 yrs old, went to my first game aged 3 with my dad and started going regularly with mates in 1987/88 about two years before the greatest spell in the clubs history. Long time season ticket holder but get to fewer away games than I'd like due to life, work, kids etc..

 

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

 

I (still) think we'll do well despite a poor start. I hope we can at least flirt with promotion for a while but will stick with my pre season prediction of 2nd.

 

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

 

Jonathan Forte has started the season on fire with 3 in two matches. And he's not played much football for two years so won't quite be firing on all cylinders yet.

 

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

 

He began last season with us playing fantastic, gung-ho, attacking football but we kept losing. By the end of the season he'd transformed us Into a tight, ugly, very difficult to beat, organised unit and we finished the season unbeaten in 10. I've never seen such a sea change before within the same and it's to his huge credit that he ditched his principles in favour of such pragmatism. It was really quite remarkable.

 

His signings look decent. So far Liam Kelly has disappointed but, again, he hasn't played much football of late so needs time.

I said whilst he was on trial that Jonathan Forte had done the business before in this league and with that in mind plus two years of Southampton's coaching he might well be our best player once fit - he's already our best player and probably isn't anywhere near full fitness yet.

Mike Jones looks alright in central midfield.

The jury's out over Willy Gros who is on a short term deal.

Brian Wilson is a solid signing and has started the season reasonably well.

George Elokobi was a real coup but hasn't been great so far.

David Noble is the kind of maverick we love here but, again, is on a short term deal and is reportedly way off match fitness so, we'll see.

Joseph Mills we had on loan last season and he looked great but we're already seeing why he couldn't get in relegated Shrewsbury's side in a later loan spell.

 

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

 

Our owner Simon Corney runs the club sensibly enough and lots seems to be happening off the field with our new stand and all it's facilities not far off & a lucrative sponsorship and ground naming rights deal with Sports Direct.

 

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

 

We could do with Pope up front.

 

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

 

Dark horses. Possible playoff contenders but probably about 8th.

 

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

 

I vividly remember our game at your place in 90/91. I think you beat us 2-0? Not many managed that that season. We took a tremendous following. There's a perception that we always lose away to you which isn't far off the mark.

 

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

 

The natives were restless after Saturdays defeat to Leyton Orient. I expect a poor crowd on Tuesday but we've often produced a really good performance under such circumstances in recent years.

 

3-0 to us. Jonson Clarke Harris with two and a Carl Winchester wonder goal.

 

 

Please also let me know if you would like me to include your name on the article.

 

@Aldehulme

 

 

REP

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

First game around 1986/87. Moved away from Oldham during the 90/91 season, where we won promotion to the top flight and ended up seeing not nearly enough of the good times under Joe Royle. Now up in Scotland and very much a virtual fan, relying on radio commentary for the vast majority of games.

 

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

I predicted pre-season a finish of 20th and our start has been in keeping with that. Having replaced some of our better players with lesser ones, I expect this season to be something of a struggle.

 

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

One or more is probably stretching it. Jonathon Forte appears to have been our only threat in the opening few games. Keep him quiet and I imagine you'll be leaving with three points.

 

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

I think most will disagree but he's been fairly uninspiring since he came in a season and a bit ago. He was a cheap option as an appointment but he's full of enthusiasm and talks a good game. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to amount to much though - similar to his predecessor, Paul Dickov. The run at the end of last season gave me some hope that he knew how to get the job done in keeping us up. He achieved that but seems to be sticking with the negative bunch of cloggers approach, which won't get us anywhere and certainly won't please many fans.

 

I think Elokobi and Forte will turn out to be decent signings. Otherwise, I think we're worse off than last season which is a concern.

 

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

Our owner Simon Corney sees the fans as something of an invonvenience. His mates (the ones with the money) got fed up a few years ago and left him to look after their loans to the club. He has got the new stand started though, which I didn't think I'd ever see.

 

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

Would have quite liked us to pick up Doug Loft who left Port Vale in the close season. Now, Ben Williamson.

 

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

Mid-table obscurity.

 

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

I always remember Vale as something as a bogey team. It was you who ended our unbeaten start to the 90/91 season.

 

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

Latics (Forte) 1-2 Vale (Pope, Williamson)

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