valefan16

Keeps talking about it being different this year too... intriguing. Linked to Robbie we know but is the style going to be different I wonder? Long as we steer clear of white shorts mind!

The way we play now doesn't particularly lend itself to a 25-30 goal a season man either as a) we rotate strikers and b) play a high press game with essentially three pronged attacks and a high pressing midfield so the opportunities get spread out by 5 or 6. Luckily we managed to get goals from defence too, Legge and Smith got a few, Brisley and Gibbo got one a piece, oddly Monty whos been regular for us I think was the only regular defender who didn't hit the net! (could argue Clark forced one against Salford) As long we we get goals all over the pitch like last season it isn't essential to have a high scoring hitman... our lovely neighbours down in Cheshire proved that and are probably a great example for us in terms of having a really strong second half of the season before then pushing onto automatic the next.

Ollie Palmer has always looked awful when i've seen him, all be it maybe just hasn't done the business against us, missed a hatful as well against us in December. Maybe a good loan player may come in but they are a gamble. We will have to see, personally think we were silly to let Bennett go as he did weigh in with a few goals when he played. If Cullen stayed fit and hopefully comes into this season fitter than he came into the last with his injury he is easily the best goal scorer at the club and is capable of 15-20, his goal ratio was superb in terms of goals to minutes, just a shame we couldn't get that many minutes out of him last term. It's a big season, lets be honest this one is the big one, the one where we want and need to be challenging at the top after expecting to consolidate and form a base last season ahead of a push this season, barring Coronavirus maybe would have achieved it a year early. Its the first year in a long time I've been excited for the season and what is to come and we should only have the goal of promotion. No reason why we wont, it just needs the odd tweak and we should improve again and take our superb post Xmas form into the new term.

We could maybe erect temporary fencing and make use of the car park space to expand the concourse area's that way and add extra portaloo's, in three of the stands this would be a fairly easy option, unsure on cost mind. Rumours are 30-40% are being looked at by the EFL in which we would be ok for our standard home support levels pretty much.

Change the Red for White, White for Black and Green for gold that would need a decent Vale kit... even if the socks are gold.

Reading into this guy, i'd be chuffed if he was Smith's replacement.

Bit of a monster isn’t he? Leggey and him would be pretty solid!

Imagine after our defending twice against them in their two visits to Vale Park the last season they wouldn't be touching our centre halves with a barge pole! Burton is one of those, could easily overtake them in 12 months time. Would be nice to see confirmation the other 6 have actually signed though rather than just agreed.

Was there too, December I think so freezing and we were awful. Oddly the back of the kits were both white just we had black sleeves and them blue yet the next season the ref deemed black v sky blue/brown a clash! Midfield was poor there, Mackenzie was woeful didn't seem to want to be around (slated the fans if I recall)

Ultimately as frustrating as it is as we’ve had the tougher games than Northampton I’d rather we earnt it on the pitch and with the fans able to experience it too.

The play offs is gutting as a week before we are in them! And Northampton had a horrific last six on paper and were bang out of form. If this is correct as Dan Roan is reporting on twitter then will be interested to see how Vale and Bradford certainly respond.

League two apparently cancelled top three promotion but the play offs will go ahead with the four current occupants.

There is no ideal situation but it’s becoming obvious we can’t finish the season anytime soon unless heavily financed by the top flight and that isn’t looking likely. Can understand McAnthonys frustration, been going on for weeks of the EFL saying we want to finish etc rather than just make the decisions that seemed obvious earlier and keep clubs hanging on in the hope. Plus is we are in Exeter’s position right now we would be spitting blood as everyone will preference the outcome that is best for their team. Tranmere for example will be relegated when they had a great chance to escape based on form, Stevenage now could kick off because of the Macc point deductions meaning they now had a chance. (Assume they will roll over to next year now) Notts County felt they should get the second promotion spot as they finished 23rd last year believe it or not! Over Harrogate who seem set to. (Nice away trip that one) Next season is now looking a problem too as the same issues will be there certainly for the first 8-9 games if not longer with crowds banned and that reliant on no second peak or hit in the autumn, Holland have gone as far as no crowds until a vaccine which is that applies here could rule out the whole of next season. Either way we should hopefully go into football if it does start next season stronger than most with this squad largely intact and in a position to build on our form and be able to hopefully not get a phantom promotion with no fans but be able to party together with Askey and the owners driving us to promotion.

It will never be finished this season IMO. Firstly 14 clubs in our league realistically have nothing to play for or could go down so they have no appetite to lose money playing behind closed doors and risking players catching the virus potentially. If even a couple of sides near the top have said they'd lose promotion for it because they couldn't survive if they do play the season and can't mothball the club then it seems pretty inevitable. For me if it finishes you can't promote or relegate, it wouldn't be right and cause issues with clubs who are negatively affected, PPG doesn't account for the fact some clubs will have an easier run in than others so had a chance of overhauling (for eg Cobblers have a nightmare run in so their PPG is boosted against ours who have played most of the top sides already twice)

We will only know what was right and what was wrong after the event sadly, what I would say is Italy was the first to ban flights from China and locked down fairly quickly and hard as well... they arguably did everything by the book as to what people wanted here but it was still not enough to see them hammered like we are getting with it. It’s the first time in 100 years something this bad has happened pandemic wise so it’s hard to really blame politicians who are relying on advise from scientists who themselves don’t really know enough about this particular virus. Labour would no doubt have gone with science as did Boris and the same track would of followed.