Two minute guide to: Plymouth Argyle
We look ahead to Saturday’s game with Plymouth Argyle with our brief guide to Vale’s next opponents.
Man in charge
Carl Fletcher has been in charge since September 2011. He’s managed the club for 46 games, winning 12, losing 15 and drawing 19.
Man to watch
Former Vale loanee Guy Madjo (right) has moved to Plymouth on loan after Argyle suffered an injury crisis upfront. Madjo is set to start, but being a classy fellow, he has vowed not to celebrate if he scores against Vale as he has too much respect for Micky Adams, the players and the Vale supporters.
Last time we met
The Valiants won 1-0 at Vale Park back in January thanks to a late Tom Pope (right) strike. It meant Vale completed the double over Argyle after a dramatic 2-0 win at Home Park earlier in the season, a game that saw both sides reduced to ten men.
Overall record
It’s a close run thing. Plymouth have 21 wins, Vale have 22 and there have been nine draws.
Featured connection
Peter Swan (right) had wildly contrasting fortunes at Vale and Plymouth. An astute John Rudge signing from Hull in 1991, Swan formed an impressive central defensive partnership with Neil Aspin and Dean Glover, which resulted in the Autoglass Trophy win of 1993.
However, his spell at Vale was not without controversy as Swan, a renowned practical joker and “fully paid-up member of the drink culture” received numerous “b*ll*ckings” from manager John Rudge. Perhaps his most notrious moments occurred at Wembley. In the Autoglass Trophy Swan played while still under the influence after a heavy night’s while in the following play-off final he became only the third Englishman to be sent-off at the Twin Towers as Vale lost to West Brom.
In 1994 he was sold to Peter Shilton’s Plymouth but the move was a complete disaster. He was named as captain in place of Steve Castle which made him the crowd’s boo-boy, his dog died, his wife endured a difficult pregnancy and his house was rumoured to be “haunted”. AS a result Swan commuted from Stoke to Plymouth for a large part of his spell there. In 1995, he moved on to Burnley.
Other connections
Players to appear for both sides include Damien McCrory, Nathan Lowndes and Will Atkinson.
Team news
Vale could well be unchanged yet again – making it seven games in a row.
Argyle’s squad against Port Vale will be boosted by the return of versatile left-sided player Onismor Bhasera. But there are doubts over three forward players Nick Chadwick and Rhys Griffiths (both calf) and Paris Cowan-Hall (hamstring). Former Vale striker Guy Madjo could make his full debut for Argyle.
Pre-match quotes
“The players who have the shirts at the moment know they have to keep performing to keep them, and that’s how we want it.”
– Micky Adams
“I’m not surprised at all where Port Vale are in the table. I thought they were a very good side last season and that hasn’t changed this year. They have got some good players and the way Micky Adams has got them set up is working really well for them.”
– Carl Fletcher
Trivia
The original stadium at Home Park was destroyed by German bombers during the Blitz on Plymouth in World War 2. The ground was rebuilt after the war.