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Who are your worst Port Vale central midfielders?


robf

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5 hours ago, Essex Vale said:

The differing roles that Bentley was given by 4 different managers reflects more on them than him. However, in respect of his willingness to take up any role on behalf of the team that reflects favourably on him.  He was signed by Roy Sproson and used as a left back. He played specifically in that role for only a short time until Roy Sproson was sacked. Sproson did not rate Neil Griffiths and Bentley was his second attempt at replacing him (the first was Gary Dulson)  Bill Bentley was then deployed as right back, left back, left midfield, centre midfield and even a winger by three of the worse managers ever to occupy the chair at Vale Park, Bobby Smith, Dennis Butler and Alan Bloor. Your observation about his role is correct, your assessment of his ability as a player is significantly wide of the mark. Bill Bentley was a very good professional who gave his all to Port Vale, he was well respected and he did what three very poor managers asked of him.  I know of no player who had a career record of more than 500 games in total and more than 100 for Port Vale who could qualify, or even be mentioned, as someone who is one of the worse ever players.  This is all about opinions of course.  John McGrath rated Bill Bentley enough to keep him in the side for the first 18 months of his reign.  I maintain my point of view that Bill Bentley does not deserve to be mentioned in this thread.

We'll have to agree to disagree.  Are you related to Bill by any chance?!!

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6 hours ago, Jacko51 said:

Surely Neil Griffiths was the regular left back in the Bentley years?

Bill Bentley was bought in from a higher division to fill a position/replace someone, I remember him as Vale's regulat left back of that time. 

I distinctly remember him as he was an ex-Stoke player and the shape and size of him. He had legs like tree trunks, was very left footed and was sturdily built, the fans took to him even though he was an ex-Stokie 'cause he was a robust, no nonsense type of player who never shied away from a tackle.

So my take is he was a decent, solid left back who occasionally may have played left midfield but not any regular stint/run of games as a central midfield player.

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/132363676532153197/

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16 hours ago, Doha said:

 

That penalty away at Grimsby will live long in the memory. I've seen a camera angle from in front of the goal that really shows it up for what it was. That sidefooted tap to the goalkeeper was bordering on dodgy betting police enquiry worthy. 

 

It can get worse! Tranmere conceded in 4 seconds at Bradford Park Avenue on 25 April 1964. Jim Fryatt scored. This is what happens when you follow up what has happened to a Vale Loan player and then get interested in the club and its histtory. Suddenly an interesting fact emerges!

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1 hour ago, Paul6754 said:

Bill Bentley was bought in from a higher division to fill a position/replace someone, I remember him as Vale's regulat left back of that time. 

I distinctly remember him as he was an ex-Stoke player and the shape and size of him. He had legs like tree trunks, was very left footed and was sturdily built, the fans took to him even though he was an ex-Stokie 'cause he was a robust, no nonsense type of player who never shied away from a tackle.

So my take is he was a decent, solid left back who occasionally may have played left midfield but not any regular stint/run of games as a central midfield player.

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/132363676532153197/

During Bentley's 3 seasons at Vale Neil Griffiths only missed 39 games. I never recall Griffiths playing anywhere but leftback. So Bentley must have played most of his football in some kind of midfield role. 77/78  I think Terry Bailey played left midfield and Russell Bromage had a few games. 78/79 it was Felix Healy and Bromage. 79/80 Healy, Bromage and Kevin Tully. He must have played a fair chunk of his football in central midfield. I think I can vaguely remember odd games at centrehalf as well. Be interesting to know how many of his 95 games were as a substitute. The fact he was relatively versatile meant he was a good bench pick when you only had one sub.

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JRC, We'll have to agree to disagree as I can only recall Bill Bentley playing mainly at left back, he just wasn't nimble, slight of foot or quick enough to play in central midfield, he was nearly 30 when he joined Vale in 1977.

The caption on the picture I posted in a Vale shirt reads, "His steadying influence at the back soon earned him the club captaincy", which suggest he played in defense and was a decent enough player to earn the captaincy.

If you look at the 11vs11.com he's described as a left back at Vale, Blackpool and Stoke. 

https://www.11v11.com/teams/port-vale/tab/players/season/1980/

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5 hours ago, toyahw said:

I'd have to go for Peter Farrell. We paid what was then a fortune for him with high hopes and he was a huge flopp. And for sheer incompetence and laziness Craig Rocastle. 

I’d completely forgot about Farrell He gave crap a bad name.

i vote for him

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I know what you mean eh up nah, certainly as a player at a higher level(which he played at before joining Vale(I remember him playing against us 2 or 3 times in the 90s) he struck me as a player who did very little but strut around midfield play the odd pass now and again and foul someone and get booked every other game.  A bit like Robbie Savage made a career of tbh.  

However I thought he did a decent job for us by enlarge although I'm sure he'd have passed on the goal line rather than shoot if he ever got in that position(which wasn't often)!🤨

Getting back to the thread I'd say Neil MacKenzie and Ross Davidson.  No contest.  I still have nightmares about Bury away with that central midfield partnership!🥴

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54 minutes ago, eh up nah said:

Never rated Danny Sonner personally. 

DEFINITELY not the worst but he struck me as a bit "emperors new clothes."

He'd come over, whoop up the crowd, clap everyone, pump the badge. Then take his corner and hit the feet of the first man.

 

I take your point, but he was a wonderful passer of the ball. One of the very best for Vale in my lifetime. Another great player who should be nowhere near this thread. 

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Some strange nominations on the previous page.  Lipa for me should be nowhere near it.  If you watch the 03/04 highlights that have been posted on youtube during the lockdown he actually plays some very good passes into to McPhee, Brooker and attacking players.  He was better than he looked but joining English football at 33/34 can't have been easy.

Amoros I thought had one excellent game at home to Scunny played a couple more(wasn't so good) then was never seen again was he injured then as Brown took over from Bruno and didn't fancy him probably so difficult to judge if he'd have been any good.  Shalaj never got a chance although he was a winger. 

Rocastle now there's another who runs MacKenzie and Davidson close! 

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