Vale Park stadium guide: history and information
Football is by far the most popular sport in England, and the country hosts several different leagues, all with varying degrees of skill and following. The sheer number of teams means the country is home to hundreds of football stadiums, one of which is called Vale Park in Stoke-On-Trent England. Here we will look at the basic history of the stadium, along with some essential information every visitor should know.
Vale Park stadium guide
History
Vale Park has been home to Port Vale FC since the 1950s. Before that, the team played their games in what was called the Old Recreation Ground, from which they were evicted by the Stoke-On-Trent city council. Because of this, Port Vale FC needed to find a new home, which is what prompted the construction of the 19,000 capacity stadium. The stadium was built on an old clay pit, which even had some mining shafts running through it.
Even though the stadium’s current capacity is 19,000 people, the club were able to cram nearly 50,000 spectators into the viewing areas to watch the 1960 FA Cup fifth-round fixture against Aston Villa. “Beyond hosting an FA cup game, Vale Park was at one point known as the most expensive pitch in all of England,” writes Charles Henry, a football fan at 1 Day 2 Write and Write My X.
Today, Vale Park rarely sees more than 10,000 fans for a single game, although there are plans to expand further the stadium, including more parking and completing the infrastructure of the Lorne Street stand.
Away Fans Guide
Away fans are allocated to the southernmost part of the stadium in a section known as the Autonet stand. Although this section has the capacity to host 5,000 attendees, it rarely receives more than 1,000. The stand roof was purchased by former Port Vale chairman Bill Bell from Chester City’s Sealand Road stadium.
Best Pubs Near Grounds
As with any sporting event, fans enjoy going to the pub before and after a match, and there are several different pubs around the stadium that thirsty fans will find to be more than adequate. “While there are many pubs around Vale Park stadium, the vast majority of them are home team friendly only, which is always an important thing to keep in mind, especially if you’re a visitor,” writes Jacob Roths, a lifestyle blogger at Britstudent and Origin Writings.
The Bulls Head: This pub is one of the few that is friendly to both home and away fans and is enjoyed by both before, during, and after the game. The pub is CAMRA recommended and offers patrons both billiards and table skittles.
The Swan: The Swan is another pub that can be enjoyed by away fans. The place is known for serving quality food and hosting live music on the weekends.
Post Office Vaults: Although popular, the entire pub is a single room and, as a result, can get quite crowded after matches. The pub is a true sports bar, with many TVs showing live sporting events from around the world.
Food
As with any football stadium, food is available at any of the several concessions found through Vale Park stadium. Beyond this, all of the pubs listed above sell food, although they may not be suitable for minors.
For those looking for sit down restaurants or fast food, it would be best to head down Hamil Road, where several foot outlets can be found.
Club Shop
As with any football stadium, Vale Park is not without its own club shop. Here, visitors can find all kinds of Port Vale FC merchandise such as hats, jerseys, shirts, sweaters, posters, pictures, and tons of other merchandise.
The clubhouse can also be accessed online via their website, which sells almost all the items one can find in store.
About the author
Michael Dehoyos is a lifestyle blogger and editor at PhD Kingdom and Write My Essay. When not writing, Michael assists companies in developing and implementing their marketing strategies. Also, he is a writer at Do My Coursework.