Cambridge United v Port Vale preview – a chance for either side to pick up valuable points
Cambridge United v Port Vale preview – can the Valiants pick up any valuable away points when they travel to Cambridgeshire?
Match Info
Venue: Abbey stadium | Date: 22nd October 2022, 3pm | Competition: League One
Predict the score
Pre-match quotes
It’s a new season and a new challenge and they’ve taken to it really well. They’ve got fairly good continuity in the team that got promoted and added well, got a big squad with lots of options, particularly strong in the attacking positions. They’re a high-running team, high-crossing team, high-pressing team so we know we’ll have to be physically committed to the game, ready for the duels and the fight and scrap that it takes to be competitive. We’ll have to bring our own periods of control as well. An interesting, difficult game, and it’s up to us to create an atmosphere and inspire each other with our performance levels…
Cambridge Utd head coach Mark Bonner
Mark Bonner has done a fantastic job; they had a cracking season last season and, while they are not one of the big clubs in the division, they are a very good team that has been together for a while now. Anybody will tell you that when you come up against Cambridge, you are going to be in for a difficult game. Watching their games, as me and my coaching staff have done, we know we are going to be in for a tough test…
Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke
Port Vale team news
The Vale starting eleven has been a constantly evolving thing since the start of the season and it’s unlikely this game will prove to be any different. The matches against Forest Green Rovers and Wolves B have probably given Darrell Clarke and co plenty to ponder.
Dennis Politic was handed a start in that 2-2 draw with Forest Green and arguably didn’t do much to push his claims of another League start. Perhaps Politic is better suited to a bench role right now? It’s a different story for Mipo Odubeko who has now netted two in two but is likely to have to settle for a place on the bench behind established front duo Ellis Harrison and James Wilson.
If Politic doesn’t start then who should replace him? If it’s a like-for-like replacement then Dan Butterworth did his chances no harm with a decent display in midweek. However, with this being an away fixture there may be a case for a more defensive option. In which case, Tom Pett may come into the equation perhaps with captain Tom Conlon handed a more advanced role.
Two other players also impressed in midweek – wingbacks Thierry Small and Sam Robinson – it may be a push for either to start but there could be places on the bench for the duo.
Jamie Proctor remains out while Rory Holden is recovering from injury and managed an hour in the Football League Trophy.
Opposition team news
The home side have a number of injuries ahead of this game. Adam May will miss the rest of the season while Dimitar Mitov is out for several weeks. This match is also expected to be too early for Brandon Haunstrup and Harrison Dunk but Paul Digby, Shilow Tracey and Joe Ironside all stand a chance of returning.
Meet (some of) the squad…
- 32 year-old centre-half Greg Taylor is the club captain
- Forward Sam Smith has four goals so far this season
- Ghanaian Saikou Janneh was a summer signing from Bristol City
- Former Spurs player Shilow Tracey joined in the summer of 2021
Man in charge
Head coach Mark Bonner was caretaker for a two month period before being handed the job on a permanent basis in March 2020. He guided the side to promotion to League One in 2021. He has a win ratio of 44% from 139 games in charge.
Familiar faces
There are no current players who have appeared for both clubs but there are plenty who have featured for both in recent years. The list includes:
- Strapping central defender Leon Legge
- Giant goalkeeper Tomas Holy
- Winger Luke Hannant
- Striker Ben Williamson
- Forward David Amoo
Looking further back, some players to appear for both sides include:
- Full-back Wayne Ebanks
- Vale legend Ray Walker
- Targetman Sammy Morgan
Through the years…
The two sides first met in 1973 when it finished in a 2-1 home victory for the Valiants. However, recent visits to Cambridge have not been a pleasant experience with the Vale losing their last three.
Last time we met…
The Valiants slipped to a 1-0 home defeat back in February 2021.
Overall record
10 Port Vale wins | 2 draws | 9 Port Vale losses
From the archives
Vintage action from 1991, courtesy of this website’s YouTube channel, when midfielder Andy Porter scored the winner:
A brief history of…
The club was founded in 1912 as Abbey United, named after the Abbey district of Cambridge. In 1949 the club turned professional, and changed its name to Cambridge United in 1951. They were elected to the Football League in 1970. The side won six promotions in 35 years before being relegated into the National League in 2005. They re-entered the League in 2014 and won promotion to League One in 2021.
Were you paying attention?
Our traditional quiz…
- Who is the current Cambridge manager?
- What was the score the last time the two teams met?
- In which year were the club formed?
- In what year did they return to the Football League?
Answers below (no cheating)…
- Mark Bonner
- Port Vale 0-1 Cambridge Utd
- 1912
- 2014