We speak to Michael Baggaley, who has expertly covered the ups and downs of Port Vale for many years and is back reporting on the club via a new newsletter service.
We caught up with Baggers to find out more about the new initiative.
OVF: Mike, we’re delighted to have you back. How exciting is it to return to covering the Vale again?
Thanks very much Rob, I’m really pleased to be back. I was enjoying reporting on Wolves but this is so appealing because it’s back at the Vale and also allows me to concentrate on covering one club. That is increasingly rare in local news organisations.
OVF: Have you been following the team’s performances this season?
I certainly have. I was at the friendly at Kidsgrove, watched the Blackpool game on IFollow and then was at Vale Park for the Crewe game in the Trophy, the league match against Burton and then the Sutton cup game.
Things are panning out a lot better than I expected when I was driving back from an early kick off at Wolves and listening to Phil Bowers and Adam Yates have to describe the second half at Barnsley.
I didn’t bring Vale much luck against Burton but was struck with just how the style of football has changed from last season. Hopefully it won’t take me too long to get up to speed again.
OVF: Tell us about the newsletter and what fans can expect to get from it?
It’s something pretty new for the company and a way for us to cover the club thoroughly, I believe more in depth than at any time since I started on The Sentinel 24 years ago. The Valiant newsletter will be emailed to subscribers three times a week, four if there’s a midweek game.
It’s a different way of working so, rather than worrying about clicks on the website, I can concentrate on making sure supporters who subscribe are getting a good read.
My main reservation about the job was the friendships I have made over the years covering Vale mean a lot to me and I didn’t really want to come back to be asking people for money.
But if people are prepared to pay for this new service then it’s my job to make sure they are getting value for their money. That’s got to be more than just, ‘here’s what was said at the press conference this afternoon’.
Because I’m just covering Vale rather than three or four clubs, I’m confident I can do that.
There are no adverts and I think the £10 introductory offer for the first year is pretty reasonable. I’m hoping there’s a space for this alongside the excellent existing sources of Vale coverage, not least OVF.
I’m genuinely delighted with the feedback we’ve had about the newsletter from supporters who have signed up.
If people are interested, the link for the £10 for the first year offer is here.
https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=a62dff76
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