Two minute guide to: Bristol City (H)
As Vale look to end their losing streak, here’s our quick guide to Tuesday’s opponents Bristol City.
Port Vale
Manager: Micky Adams
Last match: 1-2 vs Crewe
Form guide: L-L-L-L-L
Bristol City
Manager: Steve Cotterill
Last match: 3-0 vs Doncaster
Form guide: W-W-W-D-D
Team news
Steve Jennings: may be handed a starting place
After the poor run of form, Vale are expected to make changes for Tuesday’s game. However (and unsurprisingly) it’s not clear exactly what those changes may be. Players who could come into consideration for the game include Chris Birchall, Louis Dodds, Michael Brown, Steve Jennings and Chris Robertson.
We really have no idea how Vale will line-up so the following formation is a total guess…
Neal
Yates – Duffy – McGivern – Dickinson (c)
Brown
Jennings – O’Connor – Lines
Pope – Slew
Pre-match quote
“You don’t want to get beaten five games on the spin, but our results are going to come. It is just about being patient and sticking with what we know…”
– Goalkeeper Chris Neal
Last time we met
Carl Dickinson: shown the red card
It was very much a game to forget for the Valiants. Current skipper Carl Dickinson (above) was sent-off as the Vale crashed to a 5-0 defeat at Ashton Gate.
Overall record
- Vale wins: 31
- City wins: 38
- Draws: 17
Trivia
Vale’s recent record against Bristol City is pitiful with the Valiants not recording a win for the last SEVEN games. The last victory was back in 2004 when Craig James (right) , Steve Brooker and Ian Armstrong scored in a 3-0 home win.
That 2004 game was actually Vale’s third straight win over City in the mid-noughties. Striker Steve Brooker (later to join City) was a particular nemesis scoring in both games at Vale Park.
The last Vale player to score against City was veteran striker Lee Hughes (right) who netted a 90th minute equaliser at Vale Park last season.
In the first four seasons that the two sides met (1902-3, 1903-4 and 1904-5) the results went EXACTLY as you would predict. Vale won all four of their home ties while City also won all their home games.
They played for both…
Vale defender Ryan McGivern (above) will be hoping to line-up against the side he joined on loan back in 2011. McGivern made 31 appearances for the Robins while on loan from Manchester City. After a spell with SPL side Hibernian, he joined the Valiants in the summer.
There have been a number of other players to appear for both sides including:
- Winger Jennison Myrie-Williams
- Striker Steve Brooker (right)
- Defender Clayton Fortune
- Full-back Micky Bell
- Striker and sicknote Lee Matthews
- Midfielder Tony Dinning
- Winger Tony Rougier
- Striker Andy Jones
- Striker Calvin Andrew
- Full-back Russell Bromage
- Striker Peter Beadle
Colin Daniel, an unlikely hero…
Should Colin Daniel take to the field for the Valiants, he is likely to be serenaded by Bristol City fans.
Daniel has no connection to Ashton Gate other than for the fact that it was his goal for Mansfield Town that effectively relegated bitter rivals Bristol Rovers out of the Football League.
Since that game, City fans have posted on social media about how they plan to cheer Daniel when they next encounter him…