Sheff Wed v Port Vale preview – test for Valiants as they take on a League One giant
Sheffield Wednesday v Port Vale preview – the Valiants will be backed by a big away following as they travel to Hillsborough.
Match Info
Venue: Hillsborough stadium | Date: 29th December 2022, 7.45pm | Competition: League One
Predict the score
Preamble
It’s Vale’s first visit to Hillsborough in seventeen years. It could be backed by their biggest away following of the season. The club has already sold around 2,400 tickets for the game and, having had its allocation increased to around 3,200, believes it can top the 2,700 who followed the team to Derby in October.
Pre-match comments
We haven’t played at home for a little while and had two defeats off the back of that so it was about getting back into the rhythm again. It was good to get the win and now we move on to Sheffield Wednesday…
Port Vale forward Gavin Massey
Sales are going really well. We had an original allocation but then that was topped up, making it to just under 3,200. We have about 800 left so it is a really good showing and there is time between now and the game. I think there is a very good chance this will be our biggest (away following)…
Port Vale CEO Colin Garlick (pictured)
Port Vale team news
The Valiants have been hit with injury and illness but it was a boost to see Belgian midfielder Funso Ojo returning to the squad after a spell on the sidelines. Sam Robinson may drop out of the starting eleven after being replaced at half-time while Vale may be cautious with Rory Holden, who has only just recovered from injury and may not be ready to make two starts in rapid succession. The likes of James Wilson, Dan Butterworth and Tom Pett (pictured) may also come into the reckoning.
Striker Jamie Proctor remains sidelined until the New Year.
Opposition team news
Sheffield Wednesday welcomed key midfielders Barry Bannan and George Byers back to action on Boxing Day and both should start. However, defender Dominic Iorfa and Ben Heneghan could both miss this match.
Form guide
The Valiants ended their recent poor run with a hard fought win over Morecambe. The home side did likewise, ended a run of three draws with a win over Fleetwood on Boxing Day. Wednesday sit in third place, six places above Darrell Clarke’s side.
Man in charge
Darren Moore was appointed manager in March 2021 and he boasts a 48% win ratio from exactly a hundred games in charge.
Familiar faces
There are no current players who have appeared for both sides but there are plenty of recent players to have made appearances for both clubs. The list includes:
- QPR winger Olamide Shodipo has had loan spells at both clubs
- Jack Stobbs was loaned from Wednesday to Vale in 2017
- Derby County striker David McGoldrick (pictured) has had loan spells with both clubs
- Forward Chris Eagles has also had spells with both clubs
Vintage connections
There are also some well-known Port Vale names who have also played for Sheffield Wednesday. That list includes these three:
- Goalscoring midfielder Ian Taylor was sold to Sheff Wed for £1m
- Striker Mark Bright (pictured) started his career with Vale and subsequently had a lengthy spell with Wednesday
- Defender Antony Gardner started his career with the Valiants and ended it at Sheff Wed
Through the years…
The two sides first met in 1900 when the Valiants lost 3-0 at home. It didn’t get any better on the return with Vale losing that one 4-0. The Vale had to wait until 1921 for their first home win over Wednesday. Vale’s last win at Hillsborough came on Boxing Day 2003 when goals from Adrian Littlejohn, Billy Paynter and Steve Brooker (pictured) gave them a 3-2 win.
Last time we met…
The Valiants suffered a 1-0 home loss back in October with Will Vaulks scoring a spectacular winner for the visitors.
It was played out in front of Vale Park’s biggest attendance of the season – 11,336.
Overall record
14 Port Vale wins | 4 draws | 13 Port Vale losses
From the archives
Watch a stunner from Kris Taylor as the Valiants win 2-0 back in 2009…
A brief history of…
Formed in 1867, Sheffield Wednesday (initially known just as Wednesday) is one of the oldest football clubs in the world of any code, and the second-oldest professional association football club in England.
The side have won four League titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup and one FA Community Shield. Wednesday have also competed in UEFA cup competitions on four occasions, reaching the quarter-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1963.Wednesday)
Were you paying attention?
Our traditional quiz…
- Who is the current Sheff Wed manager?
- What was the score the last time the two teams met?
- In which year were the club formed?
- How many League Titles have they formed?
Answers below (no cheating)…
Quiz answers…
- Darren Moore
- Port Vale 0-1 Sheff Wed
- 1867
- Four