Two minute guide: Milton Keynes v Port Vale
It’s a televised clash against Milton Keynes for Port Vale and here’s our quick guide to the action…
In the picture: Goober’s return…
The story behind our choice of image we’ve chosen to lead the article with…
This shot is of Andy Porter leaving the Vale coach ahead of our 2005 game with Milton Keynes.
The midfielder (known to the fans as “Goober”) had progressed through the youth ranks to make his debut in 1987. After eleven years at the club he left to join Wigan but he returned to Vale as a coach in2004.
In 2005, Vale were in something of a quandary with midfielders Micky Cummins and Levi Reid suspended. Porter had been drafted in as an emergency sub in Vale’s game against Tranmere, so when George Pilkington got injured early on in the game against Milton Keynes, manager Martin Foyle turned once again to the 36 year-old veteran.
OVF editor was summarising for BBC Radio Stoke that day and he recalls the day well. “In his heyday Porter was seen more of a midfield ‘terrier’ used to closing down danger men and using his energy to win the ball.
“However, on that day in 2004, Porter, with his pace much reduced, was the stand-out Vale player on the pitch. He barely misplaced a pass as he gave a cameo performance.” It certainly showed the gulf in class between John Rudge’s second division sides of the 1990’s (when Porter was not particularly renowned for his passing) and the Vale sides of the noughties.
Porter was to make a total of six appearances during his second coming – each one of them a chance for Vale fans to reminise on the Rudge glory years and to marvel at seeing a Port Vale legend one more time.
Porter was to finish his Vale career with 433 Vale appearances, 26 goals, a promotion and an Autoglass Trophy Final winners medal.
The two sides
Port Vale
- Manager: Bruno Ribeiro
- Last match: 0-1 vs Mansfield Town (FLT)
- Top scorer: Alex Jones (6)
Milton Keynes
- Manager: Karl Robinson
- Last match: 1-0 vs Peterborough (FLT)
- Top scorer: Ryan Colclough (4)
Match details
Venue:
stadium:mk
Date:
9th October, 2:15pm
Other:
Live on Sky Sports
Pre-match thoughts
“It’s going to be a big game, it’s a big month with some very good teams that we have to play, but if we pick up some points we will be right in the thick of it…”
Alex Jones
Team news
Bruno Ribeio is likely to make significant changes to the side that played in the Football League Trophy defeat to Mansfield Town. Regulars Jak Alnwick (pictured), Remie Streete, Anthony Grant and Sam Foley are all expected to return.
The defence is settled with the exception of the left-backs slot (where Sam Hart, Kjell Knops and Kiko are all in contention) but it is far more difficult to predict the make-up of the midfield and attack as there are plenty of “ifs” and “buts.”
Some are – Will Jerome Thomas return? Will Martin Paterson be picked as the central forward? Who will replace the suspended Paulo Tavares? Here’s our guess at the line-up…
Possible Vale line-up:
Santos
Purkiss – Streete – Smith – Hart
Grant – Amoros
Foley
Jones – Paterson – Thomas
Last time we met…
The two sides played out a goalless draw at Vale Park back in April 2015. The game at stadium:mk ended in a 1-0 win for the home side after the controversial dismissal of Chris Lines.
Overall record
Port Vale wins: 3
Port Vale losses: 3
Draws: 3
Form guide
Club connections
Midfielder Jay O’Shea was arguably the best of the much-maligned Jim Gannon’s Port Vale signings. He was signed on loan from Birmingham City in January 2011 and made five Vale appearances, scoring a single goal.
In the summer of 2011, O’Shea went on trial with Milton Keynes and earned a contract. He was to stay for two years making 39 appearances. O’Shea is now with League One rivals Chesterfield.
Vale stats: 5 games | 1 goal
Other players to appear for both clubs include:
- Winger Jemal Johnson
- Midfielder Chris Lines
- Winger Dominic Blizzard
- Winger Matt Kennedy
- Midfielder Malvin Kamara
Did you know…
- In terms of head-to-head it is all-square with three wins each and three draws.
- However, Vale are yet to win an away fixture against Milton Keynes.
- Port Vale’s last airing on live television was in November 2015 when the side lost 2-0 to rivals Walsall.