Match Preview: Port Vale vs Scunthorpe United, 29th Feb 2020
The Valiants return to Vale Park and will be looking for a good result to potentially propel them back into the play-off places. Here’s our match preview feature.
Essentials
When and where
Man in charge
Team News: Brisley blow for Valiants
Shaun Brisley, who has been in such fine form recently, has been ruled out of action for four to five weeks. The news means that Nathan Smith will partner Leon Legge at the back with available again James Gibbons returning to the right-back slot.
Defensive duo absent
Mitch Clark is suspended while fellow defender Adam Crookes is still returning to full fitness.
Pre-match quote
It’s as big as any other game. We’re not looking at it as anything big or spectacular, we’re just going to work one hundred percent hard to get the three points…
Midfielder Manny Oyeleke
Head-to-head
Last Meeting
Last Vale win
Overall record
Home form against Scunthorpe
Form
D
W
W
W
W
L
W
L
Opposition Guide
Former manager Russ Wilcox is in caretaker charge of Scunthorpe until the end of the season following the departure of Paul Hurst. It’s the 55 year-old’s third spell in charge. Willcox is the club’s eighth manager in six years, there has been some discontent among fans over the club’s long-term planning.
The club’s top-scorer is Kevin van Veen with ten League goals while Rory McCardle, James Perch and Ryan Colclough will be familiar names to Vale fans.
Played for both
Forward Martin Paterson had spells with both clubs with vastly different levels of success. He joined Scunthorpe in 2016 and was a regular starter in the Championship finishing the season with 14 goals. His form saw him join Burnley for a £1m fee. In 2016, the striker linked up with Port Vale but he made just twelve starts scoring twice. He was released at the end of the year as his contract wasn’t extended.
Michael O'Connor
Paul Harsley
Michael Walsh
Classic clash
Bruno Ribeiro’s side record a comprehensive home victory in August 2016. The goals came from forwards Alex Jones (2) and Anton Forrester. 4,557 were there to watch the action. Click play to watch.