Bradford City v Port Vale preview (League Two)
It’s grim times at Vale Park at the moment, but nevertheless here’s our Bradford v Port Vale preview.
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Match details:
Teams: Bradford City v Port Vale
Competition: League Two
Venue: Valley Parade stadium
Kick-off: Tuesday 29th December, 7pm
Image: “Valley Parade – Westtribune” by Superbeest040 is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Form guide:
Oh dear… do we have to go here? Port Vale now have one win in ten League games and will be smarting after an awful home performance against Barrow on Boxing Day. Meanwhile opponents Bradford City have recovered from a poor run to record three League wins on the bounce. It looks ominous for the Valiants…
Port Vale team news:
Oh dear, oh dear… where do we even start with this one? Well, sub David Amoo was the sole bright spark in the loss to Barrow but ironically the flanks is one of the few positions where Vale have had half-decent performances in recent weeks. Of more pressing concern is what to do with a defence that has not kept a clean sheet for thirteen games. Nathan Smith had a poor game on Boxing Day and John Askey must surely be considering giving Shaun Brisley (pictured) a start alongside Adam Crookes.
There’s an issue at right-back too where Zak Mills appears badly out of form. Will Askey switch Smith to right-back or bring back loanee Mitch Clark, who has been strangely absent in recent games?
There’s also a suggestion that Manny Oyeleke could be fit for this game. In the absence of Tom Conlon (who tested positive for coronavirus), Oyeleke would surely come in for the out of form Danny Whitehead if fit to play.
Possible Starting XI:
Brown – Smith, Brisley, Crookes, Fitzpatrick – Joyce, Burgess, Oyeleke – Amoo, Pope, Rodney
One to watch:
The Valiants need their experienced players to step up to get them out of this rut. There’s a limit to how Scott Brown can influence the game while Leon Legge may be missed out so that leaves old stagers Luke Joyce and Tom Pope in the starting eleven. Joyce will probably have his hands full assisting Vale’s leaky defence so we’re hoping that old war horse Tom Pope has one of those games where he bullies and torments the opposing defence. Vale missed his influence on Boxing Day, here’s hoping it returns at Valley Parade.
Opposition players to watch:
Dangerman: Veteran striker Lee Novak has found form in recent games and has scored in the last two matches. The 32 year-old now has six goals from twelve League starts.
Others:
Midfielder Levi Sutton has been earning praise for his performances in recent games.
Richard O’Donnell has been the regular starter in goal this season. He is closing on 100 League appearances for the club.
Veteran striker Clayton Donaldson still remains a potent threat at the age of 36.
Opposition manager:
For the second successive game, Vale will face a club without a manager. Following the departure of Stuart McCall, the caretakers are Mark Trueman and Connor Sellars.
Pre-match quote
We were playing well in games but we haven’t kept enough clean sheets, that is always the start. We need to get a clean sheet and if we can do that at least you know you are in the game…
Manager John Askey is desperate to tighten things up at the back
Connections:
Former Port Vale goalkeeper Sam Hornby may be in the Bradford City squad for this game but he’s not expected to play. Hornby was one of a number of keepers used by Vale during that notorious period where they used NINE keepers in a calendar year. Hornby made fifteen appearances for the club but turned down a new contract offer in the summer of 2019 in order to join City. He has now made five appearances for his new side.
Played for both:
Other players who featured for both sides are:
Striker Alex Jones had a successful loan spell with the Vale but left to join Bradford City on a permanent basis.
Goalkeeper Jak Alnwick (pictured) had a brief loan spell with Bradford and a more successful time as a Port Vale player.
Looking further back, striker Lee Mills was a £1m sale from Port Vale to Bradford City.
And not forgetting midfielder Will Atkinson but more about him soon…
Last time we met:
Due to the truncated season, the two sides only met once during 2019-20. It was a good result for the Valiants as they triumphed 2-1 at Valley Parade thanks to goals from David Worrall and former Bradford player Will Atkinson (pictured). The Vale are unbeaten in their last two visits to Bradford. The Bantams are a relatively happy hunting ground for striker Tom Pope who has netted four times against them.
The stats:
Overall record: 33 Port Vale wins | 44 Port Vale losses | 31 draws
From the archives…
The Valiants recorded a valuable away win back in September 2010 thanks to the “Richards twins” upfront. Forwards Justin Richards (pictured) and Marc Richards were on the scoresheet as the Vale triumphed 2-0 at Valley Parade.
The Vale team for that game was:
Tomlinson, Yates, McCombe, Owen, Collins, Griffith, Fraser, Rigg, Roberts, Richards (M), Richards (J)
How to watch:
Finally, let’s deal with watching this behind closed doors game. It will be available to watch on the iFollow service. Here’s how to watch it…
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- If you don’t have an existing iFollow account sign up here
- If you have an existing iFollow account sign in here
- When signed in go to this page, select Video packages, select the relevant game and pay
- On matchday, go to this page and there will be an option at the bottom to watch live video
FAQs
Q: Do I have to set up the account/buy the pass on the day of the match?
A: No, you can set up your iFollow account and/or buy your match pass in advance if it is easier. All you need to do then is log onto iFollow on the day of the match go to this page and there will be an option at the bottom to watch live video.
Q: Can I watch it down the pub?
A: No, it’s illegal to show iFollow streams in public so they would be breaking the law. The service is for private use only.
Q: Can I watch it on the TV screen?
A: The iFollow service is available via an app or a browser. Probably the simplest way to watch it on the TV screen is to watch the stream on a browser and connect your computer to your TV via a HDMI lead. The video and audio should then show on your screen.
Q: What about the programme?
A: Ahead of the game Port Vale will also be sending all season ticket holders a link to a complimentary digital copy of our new-look matchday programme! If you do not receive your digital copy by 1pm on Saturday, then please contact us on the numbers provided above. Additionally, if you wish to collect a physical copy of the programme ahead of kick off – please contact the club shop.
Q: What commentary will be provided?
A: Usually commentary from both teams (home and away) is provided. In Vale’s case it is usually the BBC Radio Stoke commentary team. When the match starts, click on the cog on the bottom RH corner to select home or away commentary.
Q: Does Port Vale make money from iFollow?
A: Yes and in these days of behind closed door matches, the revenue from iFollow can be vital. Clubs like Vale earn around 80% of the cost of an iFollow ticket regardless of whether the game is played home or away.
Q: What about if I still have an issue?
A: If you are experiencing problems with iFollow should contact EFL iFollow by telephone – 0207 8264577 (three hours before kick-off and running until three hours after matches finish) or by email – [email protected] (staffed from 8am to 7pm every day).
Need more information? We have a dedicated forum thread with help and advice right here. There’s also a guide on setting up an iFollow account while here is a guide for season ticket holders redeeming a code
Fred
29th December 2020 @ 10:40 am
Come on Vale, we desperately need a win to finish 2020! I hope the players show more effort than they did against Barrow though.