Two minute guide to: Notts County
The Valiants travel to Notts County on Saturday and here’s another of our brief guides to our next opponents.
Port Vale
Manager: Micky Adams
Last game: 1-0 vs Walsall
Form: W-W-D-L-W
Top scorer: Pope (16)
Notts County
Manager: Shaun Derry
Last game: 1-3 vs Brentford
Form: L-W-W-W-L
Top scorer: McGregor (13)
Team news
Doug Loft: Controversial injury?
Friday was dominated with discussion of Doug Loft’s training ground injury with the club confirming that the captain will miss this game. It’s widely expected that Dan Jones will miss out too, so Rob Taylor and Chris Birchall could come into the starting eleven. County’s Haydn Hollis will miss the game through suspension.
Possible Vale starting XI:
Johnson
Duffy Robertson Dickinson Taylor
Birchall Knott Lines Myrie-Williams
Tomlin Pope
Pre-match quotes
Carl Dickinson – hoping for the right result
“From what I have seen with Shaun Derry – and I have played against him a few times – he is a fighter and I am sure he will be putting that into his team. We are expecting a really tough game on Saturday. They showed when they came here that they have got some really good lads and it is up to us to make sure we give a good account of ourselves and hopefully get the right result.”
– Carl Dickinson
“The gaffer said after the last couple of games that he is going to freshen it up so don’t get too disappointed if you are left out on Saturday. He obviously wants to look at the players who are the fringes as well who he probably hasn’t seen a lot of in the first team this year so maybe there will be changes on Saturday.”
– Mark Grew
History
Gavin Tomlin: scored the winner
Last time we met
The Valiants won 2-1 back in November thanks to goals from Jennison Myrie-Williams and Gavin Tomlin (penalty).
Overall record
- Vale wins: 35
- County wins: 42
- Draws: 20
Did you know?
Vale have lost on the last two visits to Meadow Lane, their last win was in 2004 when Steve McPhee and Steve Brooker scored in a 2-1 win.
Connections
Dan Jones: had a spell with County
Both Liam Chilvers and Dan Jones had spells with our opponents Notts County but neither are expected to face their former side.
Other players to appear for both sides include: Luke Rodgers, Krystian Pearce, David McGoldrick, Neil MacKenzie, Jimmy McGrath, Ian Buxton, George Stabb, Gary Brazil, Andy Williams, Brett Angell, Peter Beadle, Lee Matthews (right), Mark Smith, Lee Ashcroft and Steve Cherry.
Highlights
Vale’s 2-1 win earlier in the season