Two minute guide to: Port Vale v Northampton Town
Rob Page returns to Vale Park for the first time since leaving in the summer. Here’s our brief guide…
In the picture:
The story behind our choice of image we’ve chosen to lead the article with…
It’s an obvious one but this game will mark the return of Rob Page to Vale Park after his departure in the summer. Page had a three-year spell as coach before spending two years as a manager.
The former manager told the Sentinel that he felt he had done a decent job at Vale Park commenting: “I was asked to keep us up in my first season and in the second season we improved on that. To finish 12th as we did was progress. It would have been nice to build on that, there was a difference of opinion, and I was given the opportunity to move on and I took it…”
We hope that Page is given a decent reception by Vale fans.
Vale managerial record: W35 D20 L38 (win percentage – 38%)
The two sides
Port Vale
- Manager: Bruno Ribeiro
- Last match: 4-0 vs Hartlepool United
- Top scorer: Alex Jones (10)
Northampton Town
- Manager: Rob Page
- Last match: 0-1 vs Bolton
- Top scorer: Alex Revell (6)
Match details
Venue:
Vale Park
Date:
10th December 2016
Tickets:
Pre-match thoughts
“I will always be in debt to Port Vale for giving me my first opportunity in coaching with Micky Adams and I have still got a lot of friends there… we know it will be tough for us…”
Rob Page
Vale team news
Bruno Ribeiro could face a welcome selection poser. Sam Hart and Kjell Knops both return from suspension but Kiko (right) put on a man of the match display against Hartlepool and could keep his place. Veteran Jerome Thomas could also return to the side.
Last time we met…
The two sides last met in 2013 when Vale memorably clinched promotion thanks to an own-goal from former defender Lee Collins. A YouTube clip is above while below are some photos from the game:
Overall record
Port Vale wins: 19
Port Vale losses: 27
Draws: 20
Form guide
Club connections
The game may see another former Valiant, Marc Richards, playing against us for Northampton. Richards was top-scorer for four seasons in a row at Vale Park after joining in 2007. He left for Chesterfield in 2012. He has now been at Northampton for two years.
Vale fans may also see Jak McCourt, who had a short loan spell under Rob Page at Vale Park feature for the opposition.
However, JJ Hooper (on loan from Vale) will not be able to face the Valiants. Even if he were, Hooper is an injury doubt and would have been unlikely to play.
Other players to appear for both clubs include:
- Defender Lee Collins
- Midfielder Paul Harsley
- Defender David Artell
- Forward John Froggatt
- Right-back Adam Yates
- Striker Leon Constantine
- Right-back Bradley Sandeman
- Left-back Dan Jones
- Defender Liam Chilvers
Did you know…
- 2013 wasn’t the only time that Vale celebrated a promotion season with a home game against Northampton. In 1983 the side celebrated their final home game of the season against Northampton with fancy dress, a motorbike jumping over cars (Ford Sierras if memory serves me right) and a huge crowd. Some photos of the game are above.
- Port Vale are unbeaten at home in the last three meetings between the sides
- The two sides first met back in 1938 with it ending as a 2-0 win for Northampton
- In 1982 the game finished in an astonishing 5-3 away win for Vale. Geoff Hunter (2), Phil Sproson, Mark Chamberlain and Jimmy Greenoff scoring for the Vale