Cult Hero 20: John Durnin
Cult hero John Durnin: why does a veteran, signed on a non-contract basis from Rhyl make our hall of fame?
The Port Vale nostalgia and memorabilia section of the onevalefan.co.uk website hosts the Internet’s most extensive collection of historic Port Vale articles and images. This section houses hundreds of historic Port Vale images, Port Vale team line-ups, rare Port Vale documents and features about the Port Vale early years.
Our features include – the origins of the Port Vale name, vintage Port Vale press clippings, items of Port Vale memorabilia (ranging from rare Port Vale programmes to items from our own Vale Vaults exhibition) and features on Port Vale characters ranging from Port Vale cult heroes to tributes to Port Vale legends.
Cult hero John Durnin: why does a veteran, signed on a non-contract basis from Rhyl make our hall of fame?
Cult hero Paul Kerr: a goalscoring midfielder, Paul Kerr’s place in Port Vale’s history is assured…
Cult hero Jon Bowden: an all-action midfielder with a ‘play anywhere’ mentality, Jon Bowden was a fans favourite of the mid-1980s…
Cult hero John Jeffers: a classic winger, often infuriating, but brilliant on his day, John Jeffers is a worthy entrant in our cult hall of fame…
Cult hero Steve Fox: a winger who was a one-season wonder, we look back at wily eighties winger, Mr Steve Fox.
Cult hero Ally Brown: was Ally Brown a washed-up veteran striker at the end of his career – or did he still have something to offer?
Cult hero Paul Maguire: hmmm, this could be another controversial one – why did we chose a balding, ex-Stoke as a cult hero?
Cult hero Peter Clarke: a strapping centre-half who joined Vale for a brief, but memorable spell, Clarke left Vale a lasting parting gift.
Cult hero Alan Webb: one of the unsung heroes of the John Rudge revolution, we profile ever-reliable cult hero Alan Webb.
Cult hero David Lowe is one of a select number of players to have not one, but two successful loan spells with the Valiants.
Cult hero Chris Killen: not all the cult heroes we will feature stayed at Vale for a long time and Chris Killen is a fine example of a brief, but hugely popular stay.
Cult hero Danny Sonner: when one talks about Danny Sonner to Vale fans, you can be certain of a mixed reaction as he’s one of those players who divides opinion.
We’ve managed to catch up with former Vale striker Bernie Slaven and have a brief chat about his time at Vale.
Robertus Petrus van der Laan or Robin van der Laan to Vale fans, did not confirm to stereotypes.
Cult hero Brett Angell: sometimes, when you have to pick a cult hero, it really helps to choose one that fits the stereotypes. And Brett Angell certainly ticks all the boxes…
Cult hero Kevin Finney: some cult heroes build their reputation over months or even years – Kevin Finney’s cult credentials was assured after a solitary FA Cup goal…
Cult hero Simon Mills: our fifth Vale cult hero wasn’t scary, wasn’t controversial and wasn’t rubbish, he was just a thoroughly likeable player…
Cult hero Bob Hazell: our fourth Vale cult hero is one of the Valiants’ scariest, most intimidating and unpredictable characters of all-time…
We profile Bob Newton, a burly striker, a one season wonder and idol of the terraces.
If Ron Futcher (Total Cult number one) was a triumph of a football brain over questionable physique, then David Riley was a triumph of hard graft over questionable talent.
Cult hero Ron Futcher: the striker was an explosive mix of mood swings, supreme skill and bad haircuts. He is a worthy entrant to our Cult hall of fame.
In 2000, OVF managed to speak to Ray King, a genuine Port Vale legend, who played in Vale’s FA Cup semi-final side. Read the great man’s thoughts.
A Chris Banks interview in the pages of the Port Vale matchday programme of the early 1980s.
An Alan Boswell interview from the pages of a 1970s Port Vale matchday programme.
Watch an FA Cup giantkilling classic as goals from Ray Walker and Phil Sproson secure a Port Vale victory over Spurs.
Neil Aspin was a very occasional scorer of goals for Port Vale but this mazy run and shot against Grimsby Town will live long in the memory.
Tony Naylor scored some of Vale’s most memorable goals in the 1996-1997 season – here is a compilation of the striker’s special strikes.