Plymouth Argyle v Port Vale preview – Friday night football for the Valiants…
Plymouth Argyle v Port Vale preview – the Valiants face a tough task as they travel to Plymouth for a Friday evening clash…
Match Info
Venue: Home Park stadium | Date: 2nd December 2022, 7.45pm | Competition: Football League Trophy
Predict the score
Pre-match press conferences
Port Vale team news
The Valiants have had a rest and that could be good news for the likes of James Wilson and Ellis Harrison who should both be fit and ready to resume their partnership upfront.
Elsewhere, a line-up similar to the one which defeated Charlton is expected which means Ben Garrity and Tom Conlon in central midfield and Danny Butterworth just ahead of them. Jack Stevens is expected to remain in goal.
Jamie Proctor and Funso Ojo remain on the sidelines through injury.
Opposition team news
The home side are on a more than decent run of form with just one loss in their last twenty games. However, they’ve drawn their last two League One fixtures.
The home side are likely to make a number of changes from the team which took part in the Football League Trophy clash against Charlton Athletic. Ryan Hardie, Niall Ennis and James Wilson are all expected to come into the starting eleven.
Man in charge
Former Crewe, Bury and Bradford midfielder Steven Schumacher took over in December 2021 after the departure of Ryan Lowe. Schumacher has a 57% win ratio from 53 games in charge.
Familiar faces
There are no players in either squad to have played for both sides but there have been several to appear for both teams in recent years. The list includes:
- Winger Byron Moore (pictured) spent two years at Vale Park and a subsequent two year stay at Plymouth.
- Will Atkinson had two spells with the Valiants as well as a loan spell with Plymouth.
- Striker Adrian Littlejohn also had spells with both clubs.
Through the years…
The two sides first met in 1930 when it finished in a 2-1 win for Plymouth. However, the Valiants got their revenge winning the return fixture by the same scoreline.
The Valiants won on their last trip to Plymouth when they came out on top during an FA Cup thriller. Vale won 3-2 in their third round replay with Jennison Myrie-Williams netting a late winner as Vale came back from 2-1 down.
Vale are slightly ahead in the overall head-to-head with 26 wins to Plymouth’s 21.
Last time we met…
The Valiants won their home fixture 1-0 in the truncated 2019-20 League Two season thanks to a goal by Nathan Smith (pictured).
Overall record
26 Port Vale wins | 10 draws | 21 Port Vale losses
From the archives
Courtesy of our YouTube channel, here’s a thumping Vale win from 1992…
A brief history of…
Originally founded simply as Argyle in 1886, the club turned professional and changed their name to Plymouth Argyle in 1903. They entered the Football League in 1920. They frustratingly finished as Third Division South runners-up on six consecutive occasions before winning promotion under the long-serving management of Bob Jack in 1930. The club tended to alternate between the Third and Second divisions for some years. They secured a record fifth third tier league title in 2004, and would remain in the Championship for six seasons until administration and two successive relegations left them in League Two by 2011. In 2017 Argyle won promotion to League One, and again in 2020 following relegation the previous season.
Were you paying attention?
Our traditional quiz…
- Who is the current Plymouth manager?
- What was the score the last time the two teams met?
- In which year were the club formed?
- In what year did they enter the Football League?
Answers below (no cheating)…
- Steven Schumacher
- Port Vale 1-0 Plymouth Argyle
- 1886
- 1920