Port Vale Forum Pre Match Interview / Report vrs Blades

[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. Some of you kindly contributed to our reverse fixture article and I wondered if some posters would like to take part by answering some different questions.




I wondered if up to three of you have a few minutes and 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 are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?

3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?

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

5. What are your thoughts on your manager?

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

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

10. 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 Wigan fans from a game with them;

http://www.onevalefan.co.uk/site/2015/09/wigan-fans-the-jurys-out-on-manager-gary-caldwell/


To enable me to produce this in good time I need a reply by Thursday and 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 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

 

[wizadry]

Not a fucking gain Robbie? We know who you are and you should know everything about us by now.

 

[Harry's Game]

1. Since 1486.. Feels like it anyway
2. Season gone a bit like that time The Titanic went one on one with that Iceberg
3. 6th we will then lose the play final one nil to a 121st minute winner deflected in off the refs arse.
4. Hammond he's like Puskus, as he is now.
5. Barney..over to you...
6. Can't answer this one I'm not using the C word during lent.
7. It's in Stoke isn't it?
8. I was watching bake off
9. Micky Adams...
10. Connor Sammon will come off the bench and score a 30 yard screamer.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

6) Our board is about as popular as ISIS and AIDS at the minute

 

[yorkshirecoast]

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

Used to be a Barcelona ST holder but I'm a bit of a glory hunter so switched to the Blades.

2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?

Awesome - I have to pinch myself regularly.

3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?

1st - if not higher.

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

Would be unfair to pick out individuals from such an array of talent.

5. What are your thoughts on your manager?

Positive attacking football, astute signings and inspirational post match comments. What's not to like?

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

Game changing. Think Liverpool.

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?

Absolutely none at all.

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?

No. We were brilliant.

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

Oh Lord Michael Brown.

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

We are due an off day so 9-0 to the Blades. Sammon to get all 9.

 

[JohnDenver]

Go on - I'll do you a non-comedy one.....

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

Clapper since 1988.

2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?

Grinding out occasional and deeply ugly victories in order to maintain mid-table mediocrity isn't what we hoped for. Pre-season optimism was high, but as soon as we saw the team play we knew it was all based on Adkins record, not the players he had to pick from.

3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?

8th.

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

Che Adams is our only player of pace, power and spontaneity. Unfortunately, for all his natural ability, he hasn't learned how to play football yet. The rest are uniformly pedestrian.

5. What are your thoughts on your manager?

He underestimated the task he inherited and misread the squad's abilities (they can only play in the way Clough intended). Only since reverting to dirge football have we achieved results. The fact the fans haven't given him any stick shows how little regard they have for the players at the club. In truth we still should be in a play-off spot despite everything, so he has underperformed somewhat.

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

The board have spent more than enough to achieve success but repeatedly demanding each manager earns promotion in one season has led to squad full of no-marks and desperation short-termist signings. Their ability to back the right horse and stick with it has been non-existent, cost them millions and cost the fans a worthy team to follow.

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?

Is Michael Brown still playing? Pleased the big lad you had up front earlier in the season won't be playing for you.

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?

Nope, but was pleased to miss it given the result and old-style hooliganism that went off in the away end. Must have been an awful trip for most Blades fans.

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

Brown is the obvious link - he had an astonishing 18 months in a Blades shirt around 2003. Somehow his career then descended in to midfield cloggery at subsequent clubs.

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

1-1. No idea who'll score, but if your team's fitness is decent you should boss the final quarter.

 

[wizadry]

Go on - I'll do you a non-comedy one.....

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

Clapper since 1988.

2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?

Grinding out occasional and deeply ugly victories in order to maintain mid-table mediocrity isn't what we hoped for. Pre-season optimism was high, but as soon as we saw the team play we knew it was all based on Adkins record, not the players he had to pick from.

3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?

8th.

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

Che Adams is our only player of pace, power and spontaneity. Unfortunately, for all his natural ability, he hasn't learned how to play football yet. The rest are uniformly pedestrian.

5. What are your thoughts on your manager?

He underestimated the task he inherited and misread the squad's abilities (they can only play in the way Clough intended). Only since reverting to dirge football have we achieved results. The fact the fans haven't given him any stick shows how little regard they have for the players at the club. In truth we still should be in a play-off spot despite everything, so he has underperformed somewhat.

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

The board have spent more than enough to achieve success but repeatedly demanding each manager earns promotion in one season has led to squad full of no-marks and desperation short-termist signings. Their ability to back the right horse and stick with it has been non-existent, cost them millions and cost the fans a worthy team to follow.

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?

Is Michael Brown still playing? Pleased the big lad you had up front earlier in the season won't be playing for you.

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?

Nope, but was pleased to miss it given the result and old-style hooliganism that went off in the away end. Must have been an awful trip for most Blades fans.

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

Brown is the obvious link - he had an astonishing 18 months in a Blades shirt around 2003. Somehow his career then descended in to midfield cloggery at subsequent clubs.

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

1-1. No idea who'll score, but if your team's fitness is decent you should boss the final quarter.

I could've swore you said non-comedy, JD?

 

[JohnDenver]

I could've swore you said non-comedy, JD?

Well I read it and want to cry.

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

Still on the medication after Adams' spell as Manager.

 

[wizadry]

Well I read it and want to cry.

I said it the other day, laugh or you'll cry. I prefer the former

 

[JohnDenver]

Still on the medication after Adams' spell as Manager.

My therapist said I mustn't talk about him.

 

[Rodley]

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

4th generation Unitedite.

2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?

Expectation was high after appointing a manager with a proven pedigree of delivering promotions at clubs of various sizes and circumstances. The bubble burst at Gillingham away at the first game of the season.

We've resorted to an attritional style once Adkins realised we can't defend (remember Neill Collins?). Signings have been patchy and given the squad was a bloated mess to begin with we've not shown much consistency. It's all been a bit incoherent but I suspect this is probably a reflection of the turnover of players and managers in the last few seasons. Occasional a ray of hope bursts through the clouds of despair; young Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks a good prospect and talismen Sharp and Brayford are quality at this level on their day.

3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?

7th-8th, but not ruling out the last playoff spot.

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

As above, Sharp is a decent finisher. Brayford is capable of overlapping effectively from right back. If you have any pace you should be handle the rest of them.

5. What are your thoughts on your manager?

Despite the cringeworthy management spiel and mediocre recruitment, most recognise he has the track record which trumps most alternatives. Next summer will be key to sort out of the mess of the squad he's inherited and if we're in and around the top 8 for the rest of this season I think/hope he'll be given the necessary time to sort things out.

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

We've been in League 1 for 5 years, so it's not been good. Poor managerial appointments, giving the wrong managers lots of money to squander and recent inertia in the JTW don't bode well. Needs more direction at the moment.

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?

Michael Brown is the only one of note. Hero at the Lane for many for a great couple of seasons. Wish we had a few with his tenacity in the team now.

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?

Missed it unfortunately, but sounded eventful in more ways than one.

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

Page was a decent centre half for us and is a good fella. We need a player of his ilk right now desperately. Brown I've mentioned. Brian Launders and Sagi Burton disappeared without a trace. Marcus Bent was a steal back in the day but turned out to be a wrong 'un.

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

1-0 Blades. Brayford.

 

[Swanseablade]

2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?

Awesome - I have to pinch myself regularly.

I nearly choked on my Welsh Cake.

 

[Barney]

I nearly choked on my Welsh Cake.

It was the "1st - if not higher" and the "'absolutely none at all" that did it for me.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Also we have been floundering in this division for 5 years but this is not the boards, managers or players fault - no it's us horrid fans that are to blame.

 

[Billyblade]

We have a few questions of our own.
1) Who is the most horrible bastard to ever pull on a Vale shirt?
2) Which spineless ex-Vale player arrived and left Bramall Lane in a car to avoid the undoubted flak he was going to receive for ending a popular United players career?
3) Can you re-arrange the following into a popular phrase anongst Blades?
"reGath siAnrothw si a tnCu"

 

[bricktop]

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

Blade for the last 30 odd year, Season Ticket holder, and regular away day Blade

2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?
Very poor. Shouldn't even be in this division, never mind struggling to get out for a 5th consecutive season

3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?

Somewhere between 7th and 12th

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

Billy Sharp normally, but whoever can be arsed from our selection of overpaid arseholes and journeyman.

5. What are your thoughts on your manager?

He is not gonna be able to cook a Michelin starred meal if his ingredients are out of date

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

Not suitable for a family based website

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?

Pretty much inconsequential.

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?

Yes. I took my 6 year old son to his first proper away game. It was not a pleasant experience to see him come under attack from a load of smelly, dole dossing tramps launching bricks and a full assortment of varied misses at the away fans. Still I can't imagine anyone who comes from the mutated gene pool known as Burslem has anything better to aspire to in life, than attempting to seriously injure people including a small child.

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

I was there in 1997 to see Dane Whitehouses career ended by a horror tackle by that fucking cunt Gareth Ainsworth. Neither player or club ever bothered to apologise, never been able to stand Port Vale since.

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

A dour and miserable 1-1 draw.

 

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Cracking replies guys thanks again, you Blades never fail to disappoint.

I will create an article from the best ones submitted and it will appear on our site on Friday.

See you all again next season unless you make it up this time.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Cracking replies guys thanks again, you Blades never fail to disappoint.

I will create an article from the best ones submitted and it will appear on our site on Friday.

See you all again next season unless you make it up this time.

O aye, the most obliging and jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse are us Blades.

 

[Grappler]

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

First went in the 1969/70 season with my grandad

2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?

Hoped we would be in the play offs

3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?

7th

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

Billy Sharp, Che Adams, John Brayford

5. What are your thoughts on your manager?

His CV shows that he knows what he is doing when given the proper backing by any club

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

The Board need to support the manager, which hopefully they will do in Summer. We get bigger crowds than all but a handful of Championship clubs, so the support is there.

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?

I am glad the big loan striker is no longer there, he was a handful.

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?

Yes I was there, I thought I had travelled through a black hole to the 1970's when I saw the trouble outside afterwards.

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

Already been mentioned by others on here

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

1 - 1 Billy Sharp for us.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Some of you kindly contributed to our reverse fixture article and I wondered if some posters would like to take part by answering some different questions.

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

Older than I was the last time this came round otherwise I refer the honorable gentleman to the answer I gave last time.

2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?

Worse than last time

3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?

Personally I will be in a Care in the Community programme and we will finish anything from 6th to 14th.

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

Having studied our team very closely I have drawn a complete and utter blank on this one. Oh go on I'll give you three - James Wallace, McNulty and Sammon.

5. What are your thoughts on your manager?

As I alluded to previously, he is an honest, hardworking lad.

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

I thought the charabanc outing to the Theakston brewery was unusually well organised by our Board and transfer committee but other than that the highlight has been counting the grey hairs in Jim's beard and charting the speed they are appearing using time-lapse photography and a homemade excel spreadsheet.

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?

Always had a soft spot for the Vale - http://www.bordnamona.ie/our-company/our-businesses/feedstock/peat/ is

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?
No thank god.

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

Happily the therapy is working and my mind is a complete blank though the colour brown keeps coming in flashbacks.

10. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)?
Won't be 0-0

 

[Kenilworth]

It's all a bit of a thinly valed attempt at sarcasm, this thread, isn't it?

My prediction is a 2-0 win to the away side after a stunning 0-0 shut out against the mighty, free scoring Bury this evening.
Our positive from the game this evening will be the clean sheet.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

We all know this division is shit, but this must be one of the best reasons to get out............not having to go over the fucking tops, through Buxton to Port Vale and respond to Robbie Earl's Perm - again.

Have they not heard of copy and paste in Port Vale?

UTB

 

[BushBlade]

We all know this division is shit, but this must be one of the best reasons to get out............not having to go over the fucking tops, through Buxton to Port Vale and respond to Robbie Earl's Perm - again.

Have they not heard of copy and paste in Port Vale?

UTB

Yeah but the scissors fucked his screen up.

 

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

We all know this division is shit, but this must be one of the best reasons to get out............not having to go over the fucking tops, through Buxton to Port Vale and respond to Robbie Earl's Perm - again.

Have they not heard of copy and paste in Port Vale?

UTB

It's Robbie EarlE!

Thats like me spelling one of your heros names Brian Dean

 

[Roygbiv]

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan?
First game in 1988 but was too young to take it in. Italia 90 got me interested in the game and my first season as a Blade who actually knew what was going on was our first in the old first division back in the 1990/1991 season

2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?
Terrible. Worse than any of us thought possible. The worst United side I have ever seen by some margin.

3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?
The lowest I personally will have ever seen my club finish. I'll say about 14th. Hopefully

4. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)?
Only Billy Sharp is worth the shirt

5. What are your thoughts on your manager?
Seemingly insane

6. What are your thoughts on your board & off field club activities?
They have made many Blades hate the club they have grown up supporting and for that I hate them

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?
Micheal Brown is a reminder of what it used to be like going to Bramall Lane. He will get a bigger cheer than all of our players

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?
No but I recall that the lad who is now at Blackpool bullying Collins and Edgar and making them look like 3 year old girls

9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?
Aside from Brown, Rob Page is well liked by our fans. I spoke to him once and he was stunned at what was happening at United. Heaven knows what he thinks now

10. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides)?
2-1 Vale. We will score a Billy Sharp pen after going 2-0 down. Not sure on your scorers but one of the goals will be classed as a "worldy" by your fans as one of your players easily runs past our tired, pathetic players and slots one in

 

[HighfieldBlade]

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


After 'starting brightly', 'on the right foot', 'taking the game to Vale' and 'forcing the play', we will lose.

 

[Trigger Blade]

It's Robbie EarlE!

Thats like me spelling one of your heros names Brian Dean

Most of this lot on here can't spell our own players' names right, let alone anybody else's.

Michael Tongue's a favourite and some even still talk about Michael Browne, a double whammy, as he played for us as well as you

 

[1danewhitehouse]

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

A blade of approximately 27 years. Grew up watching Deane, Agana, Whitehouse, Kelly etc. Now I have to watch these nobheads.


2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season)?


Crap. We are a bang average league 1 team full of players who have about 1 good game in every 7 or 8. Our best player (Brayford) is out of form and Sharp's not getting the service. Our midfield is awful.


3. Where you think you will finish in terms of league position?

About 10th.


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

Adams is a prospect who can produce moments of quality but is very raw and still shows plenty of non-league touches.
Sharp is a good striker at this level but needs service.
Coutts can be good sometimes but hasn't been involved in the last couple of games.
Brayford is a quality RB but has been on a poor run of form.


5. What are your thoughts on your manager?

His CV is quality. But so far he has failed with the players he inherited. I'll reserve judgment until I see what sort of team he can build in the summer though.

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

We get promised the earth and consistently let down. Our efforts in terms of player recruitment and retention over the last 2 windows have been awful. Phipps (co-chairman) is on social media and has got a bit flustered lately with all the criticism and keeps blaming the last manager for all our problems.

7. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?

Like us, you seem a very average league 1 team. It seems Page has you reasonably well drilled. Ikpeazu tore us a new one at your place but has moved on. There's still some height and muscle in the form of Grant and Innis. We also struggled with Andoh's pace last time.

8. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?

Listened on the radio (couldn't face it after the 8 hour snow hindered journey home on boxing day the season before). Sounded like we got bullied out of it and couldn't cope with the power in the Vale side. We've got a bit more physical since then but we're still shite.


9. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams?

Rob Page and Michael Brown are fondly remembered at the lane for their part in our triple assault season. Gareth Ainsworth is a wanker who I can't stand and I want to smash his stupid face in.


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

1-1 Sharp (pen) for us and Dodds for you. Lots of booing and groaning around the lane with a possible chant of "Adkins Out" or "You're not fit to wear the shirt"