This is the first in a new series where OVF is asking fans to name a team of their best-ever Port Vale players in a 4-4-2 formation. The OVF editor is kicking things off…
About this feature: it’s simple, we ask Port Vale supporters to pick their best ever Valiants XI in a 4-4-2 formation. Plus five subs. The players can be from any era – they don’t have to have played against each other. In addition to the individual elevens, we’ll also produce a running update on the overall best XI as selected by fans in this feature. Want to take part? Contact us and let us know
About me
I’ve been a Vale fan since 1980 so I’ve now got 46 years worth of players to pick from. I’ve created OVF in 1996 and I’ve been updating it ever since.
A rundown of a few favourites (and why)…. my favourite manager is John Rudge and needs no explanation. My favourite player is Andy Jones because he was a goal machine and because his goal return was the perfect response to school taunts about being a mere “Vale fan” from Stoke supporters. My favourite game was the win over Spurs because it was the first upset I saw and it was so bizarre to go home and see the Vale as the first game on Match of the Day.
I’ve included some photos of me with some of my Vale heroes.
My choices
Upfront I’ve gone for power and guile. Power in the form of goal machine Andy Jones with Martin Foyle providing the (forgive me) perfect foil with his intelligent line-up play. The pair edge ahead of the likes of Darren Beckford and Tony Naylor, who were both contenders.
Jones and Foyle will be provided with plenty of chances. On the wings are dynamic duo Guppy and McCarthy while Ray Walker will thread passes and take set plays from the middle. Walker’s partner is the ever willing Robbie Earle who will provide his own goal threat. Shout outs to the likes of Andy Porter, Robin van der Laan, Ian Bogie and Gareth Ainsworth who were also considered for these positions.
At the back, dynamic full-backs Mills and Hughes will link up well with the wingers. The central pairing is Aspin and Glover. While not perfect (there’s a lack of pace and height) the two were admirably consistent and have plenty of experience as a partnership. Shout outs to the reliable Alan Webb, Allen Tankard and Phil Sproson who were also considered.
In goal is my only non-Rudge signing. Perhaps JR’s only failing was a consistent goalkeeper (it’s perhaps unfair but I always felt Paul Musselwhite could be a liability at times) so I’ve gone for the consistent Mark Goodlad who just edges out Scott Brown.
For my subs I’ve gone for a couple of players who can play in multiple positions (Webb and Porter) while Ainsworth was unlucky to miss out on the starting eleven and Beckford will provide competition for Jones and Foyle.
It’s just a pity we’ll never get the chance to see them all line up in the same team together!
The line-up
My sub choices
Scott Brown, Alan Webb, Andy Porter, Gareth Ainsworth, Darren Beckford
The overall best eleven
Positions (votes after 12 submissions)
Goalkeeper
- Mark Goodlad (5)
- Ken Hancock (3)
- Mark Grew (1)
- Paul Musselwhite (1)
- Jak Alnwick (1)
- Jim Arnold (1)
Right-back
- Simon Mills (5)
- Matt Carragher (2)
- Andy Hill (2)
- Neil Aspin (1)
- Michael Walsh (1)
- Alan Webb (1)
Centre-halves
- Dean Glover (11)
- Neil Aspin (7)
- Antony Gardner (3)
- Roy Sproson (1)
- Phil Sproson (1)
- Bob Hazell (1)
Left-back
- Allen Tankard(5)
- Darren Hughes (5)
- Chris Sulley (1)
- Roy Sproson (1)
Right winger
- Jon McCarthy (5)
- Gareth Ainsworth (3)
- Mark Chamberlain (3)
- Tommy McLaren (1)
Central midfield
- Robbie Earle (9)
- Ian Taylor (4)
- Ray Walker (3)
- Brian Horton (2)
- Harry Poole (1)
- Andy Porter (1)
- Johnny Green (1)
- Michael O’Connor (1)
- Robin van der Laan (1)
- Gareth Ainsworth (1)
Left winger
- Steve Guppy (12)
Strikers
- Martin Foyle (9)
- Andy Jones (4)
- Darren Beckford (4)
- Tony Naylor (4)
- John James (1)
- Lee Mills (1)
- Stan Steele (1)
Subs
- Ray Walker (6 votes)
- Darren Beckford, Tony Naylor, Paul Musselwhite, Andy Porter, Ian Taylor (4 votes)
- Mark Goodlad (3 votes)
- Neil Aspin, Phil Sproson, Lee Mills, Michael Walsh, Jon McCarthy, Robbie Earle, Jan Jansson, Ian Bogie (all 2 votes)
- Scott Brown, Alan Webb, Gareth Ainsworth, Paul Kerr, Bernie Slaven, Jim Arnold, Mark Grew, Mick Cullerton, Mike Stowell, Robin van der Laan, George Pilkington, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, Martin Foyle, Allen Tankard, Tom Pope, Kyle John (all one vote)
The only one I’d disagree with is Andy Jones over Tony Naylor. I loved watching Andy Jones. He had 2 great seasons of goal scoring. One in Division 3, one in Division 4. Tony Naylor was much better technically and scored regularly at Second Division level. He was a great goalscorer and a scorer of great goals.
Grew
Mills Glover Aspin Tankard
McCarthy Earle Taylor Guppy
Jones( 9 goals in 2 consecutive home games) Foyle
Subs. Kerr. Slaven. Walker. Jalink. Naylor. Arnold
Hancock; Aspin, Sproson (R), Glover, Hughes; McLaren, Poole, Earle, Guppy; Jones, James;
Subs: Grew, Mills, Sproson (P), Walker, McCarthy, Cullerton
Selection of Poole ahead of Walker. Harry Poole was Ray Walker, but with double the goal output