Send in your memories of – Port Vale 2-1 Spurs, 1988
OVF is revamping its coverage of classic Port Vale games and we want to add the views from supporters who were there during famous Port Vale matches.
We’ve all seen plenty of videos, press reports and images but many of those reports miss what it was like to be in the crowd that day? OVF wants to add to its coverage of the games and explain to younger supporters what it was like to be there on the day.
So, if you were a supporter present when Port Vale shocked Spurs in 1988 read on…
We want to get an idea of the atmosphere, the excitement of that day. As an example, here’s Rob Fielding’s memories of the Spurs game:
The TV cameras, the Spurs stars, losing the contents of my pockets when Walker scored, losing my footing on the terracing when Sproson made it two, losing my voice, losing my temper at the ref as injury time dragged, losing all sense of reality when the whistle went, even letting lose a few tears of joy as the gravity of it all sank in…
So, how do you share your views?
Just scroll down, click the orange button and add a comment to the bottom of the article. By posting a comment in this article you agree that you are happy for your comment to be potentially used in a future article. Thank you!
Fred
26th March 2021 @ 8:42 am
It’s still my favourite Vale game I was at and Walker’s goal was one of my favourite ever strikes.
Rich Whitehead
26th March 2021 @ 8:45 am
Had seen big teams come to Vale Park before and they always saw us off (West Ham, 1973 springs to mind), never thought we could do it but the excitement of going 2-0 up was unreal. Brought down to earth when Spurs pulled one back but the slow realisation we just might do this grew and grew until the final whistle euphoria.
Anthony Oakley
26th March 2021 @ 11:26 am
It started a few weeks before the game, in a Army barracks in a Munster, West Germany, a few of us gathered around the radio listening to the cup draw….couldn’t believe it, home to Spurs…..I have to go! speak nicely to the boss to arrange the weekend off, ferry tickets booked Zebrugge to Dover, got home to Market Drayton on the Friday evening before the game, tickets had been sorted by the family, the day had finally arrived, traditional pre match brunch, football focus on tv, excitement building…..off to the ground, crowds everywhere, nowhere to park, had to get dropped off and walk to the ground, into the Bycars end and take my place standing on the wall at the back of the stand, scarfs tied to each wrist……there was a young lad stood beside me with his dad, so I offered him one of my scarfs….. the game itself was a bit of a blur, ecstasy and agony in equal measures finger nails bitten, voice gone….we won! Home and get ready to watch match of the day…. watched and recorded it, seeing Phil Sprosons image on the screen at the end of the programme….! Sunday morning….breakfast, watch match of the day several more times and then drive back to Germany.
Mogger
26th March 2021 @ 4:11 pm
Memories hearts pumping voices stretched to the maximum surely the supporters that day made the twelfth man.The pitch was heavily watered before the game all the canals must have been drained. Spurs didn’t fancy that and when the vales goals went in there was enough noise to take the roof of Britannia stadium .One of vales classics along with Everton. Arsenal Liverpool
Rob Handley
27th March 2021 @ 5:43 am
I was 24 years old, already a veteran of many years following the Vale. We had a laugh watching Saint and Greavsie on the lunchtime show – I’ll never forget Greavsie’s comments about “where’s the Vale ground?” and he ridiculed the possibility of Spurs losing to the Vale. We had our usual pre-match pint and headed to the ground, noticing the size of the crowd. I can only vaguely remember Ray Walker’s goal but I do recall well Phil Sproson’s…we went absolutely mental! I had lost my voice before the end and had tears of joy before the final whistle from the most poignant part for me….the crowd just were in unison: “Vale, Vale, Vale!” It was unbelievable. I didn’t get on the pitch like some people did from the Railway paddock, as the police stepped in after some supporters got over the barriers but headed towards the silenced Spurs fans in the Hamil.
We stayed a while singing and celebrating…then headed to Burslem for some celebratory pints. What a day.
Rob Handley
27th March 2021 @ 5:48 am
Just to add…. Greavsie got some real stick from Vale fans after that, and deservedly so! The Saint also helped by reminding him of his comments from the previous show. He had a eat humble pie!