Hightlight of the season
Way back in the mists of time, around last August, there was a lot of optimism around the north end of Stoke-on-Trent for a change. We had a manager in Micky Adams who had transformed our team from a relegation threatened bunch of no hopers into a cohesive unit capable of punching well above their weight with a regime based on fitness and the tightest defence in the division. There were whispers of promotion. Automatic promotion. Our last play-off adventure in 1993 ended in hearbreak after the second Wembley visit in one week ended in defeat against West Brom when we only missed out on the automatic promotion spots by one point. We didn’t want that happening again. This was the year. Our year. With a defense like the Iron Curtain.
Things started well. We won our first league game, away at Bury, and then for our second match were drawn against QPR in the League Cup. In a ridiculous decision, we had been placed in the southern section of the cup whilst Walsall and Peterbrough were in the northern section. At least we got a London club so had good transport links and plenty to do as well as the match itself. We ended up winning that night by three goals to their one. Another giant killing in the League Cup, a competition in which we don’t have a great record, after the victories over both the Sheffield clubs last season in rounds one and two.
A result of this victory was this viral video which was enjoyed by Port Vale fans for weeks afterwards as a QPR fan gets very over-emotional at his clubs capitulation against a northern Division Four side with an obscure name.
What happened in the end though? QPR got promoted to the Premiership amidst claims of financial irregularities. The Vale lost their talismanic manager who was replaced by a Jim Gannon, a fantasist who did things his own way to hell with the results and what actually happened on the pitch. Actions off the field also led to bitter protests from frustrated fans who have been subjected to a decade of decline of deceit under the current boards stewardship.
How times change.
