Video vault: Vale’s finest International goal?
Is Chris Birchall’s stunning 2005 strike the best goal to be scored by a Vale player taking part in an International game?
There have only been fourteen Port Vale players to play International football while at the club (see the list here). In total, the players have made 83 appearances and scored just eight times.
But of those eight Vale International goals, this screamer from Chris Birchall could just be the best Vale International goal scored.
It came in a crucial game too. In 2005, Trinidad and Tobago were facing Bahrain in a play-off with the winners securing a place in the World Cup finals. Birchall scored this goal in a 1-1 draw in the home leg and the Socawarriors went through after winning the second-leg 1-0.