Two minute guide to: Port Vale v Peterborough Utd
It’s the return of a certain midfielder to Vale Park as the Valiants take on Peterborough on Saturday…
In the picture:
The story behind our choice of image we’ve chosen to lead the article with…
It’s fair to say that the match on Saturday will be dominated by one man… Anthony Grant. The midfielder switched clubs on deadline day and just hours later will face his former club.
Grant has often been a controversial character at Vale Park but only time will tell whether or not Vale will regret his exit. His contribution last season was outstanding and culminated in the player of the year award but after he made a transfer request in the summer, some have argued that he has not been the same force this campaign.
However, at his best, Grant is an excellent shield between defence and midfield and it will be fascinating to see how he plays and how he is received on Saturday.
Vale career: 69 games | 3 goals
The two sides
Port Vale
- Manager: Michael Brown (caretaker)
- Last match: 2-3 vs Scunthorpe
- Top scorer: Jones (10)
Peterborough United
- Manager: Grant McCann
- Last match: 0-4 vs Milton Keynes
- Top scorer: Edwards (9)
Match details
Venue:
Vale Park
Date:
4th February 2017
Tickets:
Online Port Vale ticketing website
Pre-match thoughts
“Anthony didn’t want to be here. We could have kept him past the deadline, and what sort of performances we would have got from a player very unhappy, sat on nine bookings. I think it was an extremely easy decision for the football club to make. He had made it quite clear that he didn’t want to be here anymore and he wanted to be at Peterborough. So, what can we do in that scenario when he has three months left? Anthony has done well at the football club but he made it clear that he was happy to go. We wish him well and we move on…”
Michael Brown
Vale team news
There are several issues for Michael Brown to consider. Who will replace Jak Alnwick in goal? Will it be Ryan Boot (right) or loan signing Leonardo Fasan? The replacement for Anthony Grant seems more clearcut with Danny Pugh set to make his debut. However, if Nathan Smith is ruled out with a hamstring injury then Kjell Knops will start in central defence. It is also expected that Tyler Walker and JJ Hooper will continue their partnership upfront.
We’ll have to wait and see…
Last time we met…
A last-gasp Alex Jones goal enabled Vale to take home a 2-2 draw from London Road.
Overall record
Port Vale wins: 18
Port Vale losses: 16
Draws: 16
Form guide
Ten club connections
Aside from Anthony Grant there have been a number of players to appear for both sides. Ten of those players include…
- Forward David Riley
- Midfielder Kenny Beech
- Striker Dave Hibbert
- Defender Gary Pollard
- Forward Les Lawrence
- Defender Exodus Geoghaghan (right)
- Winger Andy Clarke
- Striker Justin Richards
- Striker Leon Constantine
- Defender Sagi Burton
Did you know…
- The two sides first met in 1961 with Peterborough winning 1-0
- Vale’s first win (3-1) came in the return fixture
- Ralph Hunt (right) scored Vale’s first-ever competitive goal against Posh
- Vale’s biggest win was a 5-0 victory in 2001.