A minute’s applause for Vale legend Roy
The Port Vale Supporters Club is asking fans to pay a tribute to club legend Roy Sproson, eight minutes and thirty seven seconds into Saturday’s game.
A Supporters Club statement reads:
“As suggested by fans, the Supporters’ Club would like everyone in the ground to give one minute’s applause from the eight minutes and 37 seconds point in the match.
This is to reflect the record 837 starting appearances Roy Sproson made for Port Vale.
The club is fully behind the initiative but is unable to make an announcement during play.
Thus supporters are asked to monitor the electronic scoreboard in the Hamil Road end of the ground and use its digital clock to synchronise this mass mark of respect.”
The Sproson family produced three Port Vale players who totalled 1370 appearances for the club, a feat that is unlikely to be repeated in the modern game.
Eleven years ago, the Sproson Fund was set up with the intention of unveiling a statue of Roy Sproson (837 starting appearances for the club plus five as sub) at the ground and the statue is finally set to be unveiled before Saturday’s game.