Port Vale fans panel on the Easter weekend – “a bit of hope” and “strangest cult hero”

The questions

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What Port Vale starting eleven would you select and why?

Paul: The only change I would make from Saturday is bringing Sang in the middle in place of Grant. It gives us more energy and bite. The front four of Wilson, Garrity, Chislett and Loft works really well.

Dave: So, is the great escape actually on? So many ‘must win’ games have passed without success, many of us obviously felt we were doomed. Was Burton a false dawn, designed to raise our hopes in vain? Bristol Rovers on Friday should answer these questions. It was a 2-0 win last season against the Gas that saved our bacon. Can we repeat the trick? You would imagine Darren Moore has seen enough to know what side to pick. Unchanged, assuming everyone is available, maybe Uche on the bench?

Craig: People say never change a winning team especially as it took is so long to find one ! However, I would be tempted to start Sang instead of Grant as I thought we improved in the second half when he came on. It would mean playing Plant out of position though but I thought he did OK.

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What do you think the score for the Bristol Rovers game will be?

Paul: If you’d asked me this time last week I would have said nailed in defeat but after Saturday, if we play like we did, we can pick up a win. Rovers have nothing to play for. We have our League status to play for. If it’s a big effort on the pitch and in the stands then I’m going 3-2 Vale in a thriller.

Dave: I often err on the side of caution, preferring surprised delight to disappointment. But I do hope for a 2-1 home win.

Craig: I’m going for a 1-0 victory as we are now at that stage of the season where needs must and results are vital. After giving the fans a bit of hope by winning last weekend I am hoping for a similar result and performance. Hopefully with mid-table secured, Bristol Rovers will not be too bothered

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What do you think the score for the Northampton Town game will be?

Paul: I can see the Northampton game being a tight affair. A win on Friday and make sure we don’t lose on Monday and it will be a great Easter. I’m going 1-1.

Dave: Sorry, like the players I can only do one game at a time. But if we can best the Gas on Friday, then our Easter could provide an ‘eggscellent’ return of 4 points with a creditable 1-1 draw at the Cobblers. The Great Escape could then be on!

Craig: Northampton away will be tough especially as they will buoyed by their win at the weekend. However, it is definitely somewhere that with the right attitude and commitment we could hopefully grind out a point.

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After the Burton win, how do you rate Vale’s hopes of survival now?

Paul: Well, I don’t know where that performance came from but I’m now convinced that (Director of Football) Flitcroft had way too many fingers in the footballing pie. I’m sure he was as good as picking the side. The lads looked like the weight had been lifted! Like I said a couple of weeks ago, three out of the last four are winnable home games. The Cambridge game could be crucial. I’m not getting ahead of myself but survival is now a possibility after Saturdays performance.

Dave: The Burton win finally brought the necessary fight and determination to a Vale team that has spent half the season imitating, unsuccessfully, a League One side. Has the departure of the Director of Football released the brake holding the team back in such catastrophic style? I’m going to say ‘yes’, and it should give the fanbase, and in turn the players, a real boost in the eight game mini-league about to begin. The Vale clearly have a chance to avoid the drop, which would be a fantastic boost all round after such a disappointing season. I’m not sure if they’ll pull it off, and the final game, at home to Cambridge, could be a Cup Final to rival Wembley two years ago.

Craig: I still think we have it all to do. However, the performance on Saturday was the type we have been crying out for for months and must surely give everyone a little hope and confidence. I do worry though that the number of must “win games” we have either lost or drawn over the last few weeks have just compounded the damage done since before Christmas.

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Any other business?

Paul: Ryan Loft was immense on Saturday (forgetting his one-on-one miss). That performance has been a long time coming and he ran himself into the ground. Fans will feed off that. He is against his former club and I can see a huge performance coming in. After all the ridicule he’s faced since he’s been here, wouldn’t it be apt if he went on a one man mission to keep us in this division with effort and goals. If that were to happen, he would be the strangest cult hero in our history. Here’s hoping.

Dave: Whichever league we’re in, like a lot of people, I’m intrigued as to what the close season will bring. The owners have been characteristally quiet, despite the unrest amongst fans, and the sale of their business for an eye-watering sum. They are either going to invest, or they are going… They’ll no doubt make us wait till the last final whistle, but it would be good to know what their plans are for our club.

Craig: We are now at that stage with eight games to go where supporters start trying to work out how many points will be enough to survive. Looking at our own fixtures if we can win our home games and pick up a couple of points away from home we can certainly be in the mix. Some of the other teams’ fixtures look favourable but we have to make sure we take care of our own business first. Could it be that we get to that last game of the season needing to beat Cambridge to stay up?

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