What Does 2024 Have in Store for Port Vale?
Many Port Vale fans will probably be nursing their wounds from the club’s recent exit from the League Cup following the defeat to Middlesbrough.
However, they can take pride in the fact they reached the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in their history.
With the FA Cup also off the table after a second-round defeat against Stevenage, the team can focus their efforts on climbing the League 1 table.
Read on as we assess what 2024 has in store for Port Vale, starting with a look at whether they can push towards the top six places.
Play-Offs Will be a Tall Order
Vale finished their 2021/22 campaign in League Two in the play-off places and made the jump into League One after defeating Mansfield Town 3-0 in the final.
Last season was about consolidating their place in League One, and they finished in 18th position to maintain their stay in the division.
Vale fans were hoping they could do more than consolidate their place this season, but things have not gone to plan despite a big influx of players last summer.
Some January additions to bolster their squad would improve their chances of climbing into the top half the table, but securing a play-off spot is too much to ask.
Their cause has not been helped by several players underperforming, with on-loan defender Kofi Balmer amongst the biggest culprits.
Big things were expected of the Northern Irish defender when he was signed on loan from Crystal Palace, but he has failed to shine.
Vale have one of the worst defensive records in League 1, highlighting why sports bettors would be well-advised to avoid wagering on them in the top six market.
Balmer’s arrival at Vale Park saw them supported at long odds to finish in the play-offs before the season started, with punters in the United Kingdom and Ireland identifying them as a value bet.
However, several Irish betting sites have now pushed Vale out to 50/1 to finish in the top six and it would be a brave move to take a chance on them achieving the feat.
A lack of firepower further highlights why bettors should steer clear of wagering on Vale to make a late charge for the League 1 play-offs.
Ben Garrity has weighed in with seven league goals from midfield, but Vale’s forwards have failed to trouble opposing goalkeepers for much of the campaign.
A top-half finish is not beyond Vale if they sign a striker in the January transfer window, but that will be the height of what they can achieve this season.
New Owners Could Spark an Upturn in Vale’s Fortunes
Speculation that Vale could follow the example set by League 2 club Wrexham by securing celebrity owners has been running rife around the club in recent times.
A potential takeover by darts legend Phil Taylor and pop icon Robbie Williams has sent shivers of excitement reverberating across the Vale fanbase.
The duo grew up in the club’s backyard and could inject finance and much-needed passion into a club which has not had much to cheer about during its history.
The pair have been inspired by the work of Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney since they took over Wrexham and would love to replicate that magic at Vale.
Taylor and Williams have not made an official move or proposal, but it is reportedly in the works. Their involvement would give the club long-term stability.
The play-offs may be a distant dream for the 2023/24 campaign, but a determined climb up the table would give them a useful platform to build from.
Whether that will be under Taylor and Williams remains to be seen, but Vale fans could be forgiven for hoping the rumours become a reality in 2024.