Port Vale v Charlton Athletic preview – can the Valiants bounce back at Vale Park?
Port Vale v Charlton Athletic preview – the Valiants meet the Addicks on Saturday afternoon in a League One fixture.
Match Info
Venue: Vale Park stadium | Date: 19th November 2022, 3pm | Competition: League One
Predict the score
Pre-match quote
“It (the loss to Oxford) should certainly should give everybody a kick up the backside, to realise there’s still a long way to go to be an established League One team, because on that performance we are nowhere near it. We have to have a hard, physical week on the training ground to make sure we respond on Saturday….”
Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke
Port Vale team news
Once again, Vale fans can expect changes for this game, especially after the heavy defeat against Oxford United. Jack Stevens should return in goal after being ineligible last Saturday. Elsewhere, it’s probably anyone’s guess. Strikers James Wilson and Jamie Proctor will both miss out but midfielder Ben Garrity could return while David Worrall may replace Sammy Robinson on the right.
Opposition team news
Charlton will be without their first choice goalkeeper Joe Wollacott, due to the broken finger that will keep the Ghana international out of the World Cup and deputy Craig MacGilivray is also a doubt. The Addicks moved to recall on-loan keeping duo Ashley Maynard-Brewer and Nathan Harness this week and Maynard-Brewer is in line to start this weekend if MacGillivray is not available
Attacking duo Miles Leaburn and Diallang Jaiyesemi are still recovering from ankle injuries. Sean Clare could return in defence after suspension.
Man in charge
Manager Ben Garner will be remembered by many Vale fans for some controversial comments during the play-off semi-finals. Many will wonder if he’ll be checking on the sprinkler system ahead of this game. Garner left Swindon after that play-off defeat and has been in charge of Charlton for 25 games with a 36% win ratio.
Familiar faces
Port Vale could well face Ryan Innis on Saturday afternoon – a player who had two loan spells with the Valiants. Innis first joined the club in February 2015 before injury ended his spell. He returned in July 2015 and made a total of 22 appearances for the club. He joined Charlton in 2020 and is approaching fifty games for the side.
Face from the past
Winger Jerome Thomas had distinctly contrasting spells with both clubs. He joined Chartlon in 2003 for £100,000 and played seventy games in the Premier League during a six year spell. He joined the Valiants in 2016 and played for a single season with the club relegated to League Two at the end of it.
Through the years…
The two sides first met back in 1930 when it finished in a 1-1 draw. Meetings have been few and far between since then with just 32 over the proceeding 92 years. However, Vale are unbeaten in their last two home fixtures against Charlton.
Last time we met…
The Valiants suffered a 2-0 defeat at the Valley back in 2016. The fixture at Vale Park that season ended in a 1-1 draw thanks to a penalty by Alex Jones (pictured).
Overall record
8 Port Vale wins | 10 draws | 14 Port Vale losses
From the archives
Courtesy of our YouTube channel, here’s a look back at Tony Naylor’s superb hat-trick at the Valley back in 1996.
A brief history of…
The club was founded in 1905 and turned professional in 1920, joining the Football League one year later. They have largely played at the Valley since 1919 apart from brief spells at the Mount and Selhurst Park. Charlton were promoted to Division One in 1936 and finished second the next season. Beaten finalists in 1946, they lifted the FA Cup in 1947. The departure of Jimmy Seed in 1956, manager for 23 years, saw the club relegated out of the top-flight the following year. They returned to the top-flight in 1986 before being relegated in 1990. Charlton won the 1998 play-off final to make their debut in the Premier League. Though they were relegated the next year, they returned in 2000 to spend seven successive years in the Premier League.
Were you paying attention?
Our traditional quiz…
- Who is the current Charlton Athletic manager?
- What was the score the last time the two teams met?
- In which year were the club formed?
- In what year did Charlton win the FA Cup?
Answers below (no cheating)…
- Ben Garner
- Charlton Athletic 2-0 Port Vale
- 1905
- 1947