Remembering Roy of the Vale...

[Aussie Rules]

On this day in 1972 Roy Sproson made his 842nd and final appearance for us.

 

R.I.P Roy.

[ClntonBoulton]

Just had to look it up....lost 2-1 at home to Rotherham. I THINK I was there but don't remember it clearly. What a player/rock he was.....the like of which never to be seen again.

[old sage]

He was a player of a bygone age when massive wages weren't being dangled in front of players noses like they are today. It's almost impossible due to that and the Bosman to keep a young star as I fear we will soon find out with young Smithy. That said I believe that due to his lack of height he needs a little longer here to mature even more on the fine player that he could become.

 

Roy though was a wonderful servant to our Club and a lot of his extra appearances was down to Gordon Lee who brought him back out of the reserves to lead our push up to the third tier and boy did 'the lad' repay us with some thumping headed goals in that year.

 

I think that Phil who is also Vale to the bone and should be used more in his position as an agent because I'm sure that he would point any good ones in our direction. This would mean in essence that we would get an extra scout for free!

[Another shropshire valiant]

I was there that day, there is a picture circulating with Roy coming out of the tunnel to a guard of honour, with players like Brian Horton and Tommy McLaren, I am stood to the left of the tunnel with my Dad and brother....

[ClntonBoulton]

I was there that day, there is a picture circulating with Roy coming out of the tunnel to a guard of honour, with players like Brian Horton and Tommy McLaren, I am stood to the left of the tunnel with my Dad and brother....

 

That rings a bell now.....I would have been stood on the Hamil to start with before walking round to Bycars at half time.