Port Vale v Portsmouth preview – another tough home test for Valiants
Port Vale v Portsmouth preview: it’s a second challenging home fixture in a row as Portsmouth follow on from Bolton Wanderers.
Match Info
Venue: Vale Park stadium | Date: 27th August 2022, 3pm | Competition: League One
Predict the score
Team news
The Valiants keep their injury news close to their chests nowadays but with Darrell Clark still rotating his squad to compensate for the truncated summer period, there could be changes despite the impressive 2-0 away win against Burton Albion. Striker Ellis Harrison (pictured) will be hoping to make it three goals in three games.
Portsmouth will sadly be missing Louis Thompson, who suffered a multiple fracture in the fixture against Bristol Rovers. Our hopes are for a speedy return for the midfielder. However, Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley has confirmed that Zak Swanson, Denver Hulme and Joe Morrell could be in contention for Saturday’s trip.
A recent addition to the squad has been Blackpool winger Owen Dale who has joined on loan. Pompey have also added former Crewe man Tom Lowery, who was linked with a summer move to Vale Park.
Any other business?
There will be a memorial service held before the game to commemorate all the supporters, staff and former players who have passed away in the last twelve months. There will also be a special feature in the matchday programme.
Man in charge
Danny Cowley rose to fame with a brilliant spell in charge of Lincoln City. His record with Championship side Huddersfield Town was less successful but he boasts a 45% win ratio since joining Portsmouth in March 2021.
Familiar faces
Striker Ellis Harrison may be pretty familiar with several of the Portsmouth squad as he was with the club as recently as January this year. The forward managed to score twenty times in 84 appearances for Pompey during a three year stay on the South coast.
Face from the past
Michael Brown (pictured) was player, coach and manager for the Valiants but he also had two playing spells with Portsmouth. His first was a brief loan spell in 2004. His second was a two year spell between 2009 and 2011. Brown made 56 appearances as a player for the Valiants while his one year stint as manager was less successful.
Through the years…
The two sides first met in 1924 when it finished in a 2-0 home defeat for the Valiants. In fact it took until 1973 for Vale to record their first competitive win against Pompey. Vale have won two of their last three home fixtures against Portsmouth.
Last time we met…
The two teams met in 2000 when it finished as a 2-0 home win for Port Vale. The goalscorers on that day were Ville Viljanan and Tommy Widdrington (pictured)
Overall record
9 Port Vale wins | 8 draws | 18 Port Vale losses
From the archives
A brief history of…
Portsmouth were founded in 1898. The team won two consecutive League titles in 1949 and 1950 as well as the FA Cup in 1939 and 2008. Portsmouth are also one of only two English football clubs to have been champions of five professional divisions including the former regional Football League Third Division South championship.
Were you paying attention?
Our traditional quiz…
- Who is the current Portsmouth manager?
- What was the score the last time the two teams met?
- In which year were the club formed?
- How many League titles do they have?
Answers below (no cheating)…
- Danny Cowley
- Port Vale 2-0 Portsmouth
- 1898
- Two