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Best Vale 11 in your lifetime?


TylerB

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On 28/02/2021 at 19:01, Birches Head Fred said:
On 28/02/2021 at 18:05, The Kalamazoo Kid said:
Wow!
Someone obviously been going to Vale since at least the late 60s, and Bob Hazell & Chris Sulley make their best defence, ahead of P Sproson, Swan, Aspin, Gardner, Tankard, Hughes?! (and to top it off Kevin Kent emoji44.png, THAT'S Kevin Kent!, gets in the squad ahead of McCarthy and Ainsworth?!)
Triple Wow!
(....and that IS meant to be condescending, towards the Jedi Master of condescension!)

Just another point Kid, I haven't seen your best 11, only a very condescending post regarding a former Vale favourite.

Calm down Fred, don't go getting yourself all deeply dippy and falling off your condescending horse!

FWIW my selection would be :-

Arnold

Mills

Swan

Glover

Tankard

Ainsworth

Earle

Walker

Chamberlain

Jones

Naylor

Subs:

Goodlad

Aspin

Taylor

Guppy

Foyle

BTW who is this former Vale favourite that you talk about? - Kevin Kent?.......the best thing about him were his initials! 😆

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10 minutes ago, The Kalamazoo Kid said:

Calm down Fred, don't go getting yourself all deeply dippy and falling off your condescending horse!

FWIW my selection would be :-

Arnold

Mills

Swan

Glover

Tankard

Ainsworth

Earle

Walker

Chamberlain

Jones

Naylor

Subs:

Goodlad

Aspin

Taylor

Guppy

Foyle

BTW who is this former Vale favourite that you talk about? - Kevin Kent?.......the best thing about him were his initials! 😆

took you long enough to work out 11 players who wouldn't offend any Vale fan, well done, not one name that could rock the boat.

 

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1 hour ago, The Kalamazoo Kid said:

BTW who is this former Vale favourite that you talk about? - Kevin Kent?.......the best thing about him were his initials! 😆

I quite liked KK on Radio Stoke when he did the commentary although I remember Brian Horton  gave him a bit hard time whenever he tried to question him after a defeat.

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On 28/02/2021 at 20:47, JohnJames said:

He played 6 times for Stoke before getting a cap. 

Part of the reason he was best (not greatest) Vale player I've seen. It was the same Chamberlain who played for us playing for England in no time. Stoke actually ruined him when they started playing long ball under Ritchie Barker. He was brilliant at Stoke in his first 2 seasons. He probably had 3 good seasons; last one at Vale, first 2 at Stoke. Maybe modern medicine would have limited the hamstring problems that plagued him thereafter. 

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13 hours ago, Houston Valiant said:

Even though I never saw them , I’m certain that the 1954 Port Vale side is the best 11 ever . 

I saw all the home games during the 1953/54 season and must agree with your assertion that it is the best Vale 11 that I have seen by some distance.

The best 2 goal keepers, again by some distance from the rest, were Ray King and Ken Hancock.  In my opinion Ray was better than Ken.  Next would be Neville Southall – I still remember his save from Tommy Gore on his debut for the Vale at Gigg Lane.

In terms of defence, none come anywhere near to Stan Turner (right back), Tommy Cheadle (centre half) and Reg Potts (left back).

Roy Sproson again stands out as a left half.

I think I would go for Ray Walker at right half in preference to Albert Mullard.

Right wing has to be Mark Chamberlain over Colin Askey, Brian Jackson and Jon McCarthy.

Inside right would be Albert Leake from that great 53/54 team followed by Tony Naylor.

My choice at centre forward is likely to be controversial.  The best I have seen was Ralph Hunt followed by Andy Jones and Tom Pope.  Ralph was signed by Norman Lowe, who was in hospital at the time.  He arrived at Vale Park on a clapped out motorbike minutes before kick-off and netted a first half hat-trick.  He had a great shot with both feet and was outstanding in the air.

Inside left would be Robbie Earle.

Left wing would be Steve Guppy followed by Dickie Cunliffe.

 

                                                    Ray King

Stan Turner                            Tom Cheadle                             Reg Potts

                 Ray Walker                                             Roy Sproson

                          Albert Leake                       Robbie Earle

Mark Chamberlain             Ralph Hunt                             Steve Guppy

Bench:  Ken Hancock, John Nicholson, Harry Poole, Ian Taylor, Tom Pope, Colin Askey, Dickie Cunliffe

12 local lads in that squad – can’t be bad.

Manager: John Rudge closely followed by Gordon Hodgson, who built the great 53/54 side but died of cancer before he could reap the benefits of his hard work.

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My biggest regret as a Vale fan of close on 60 years is the fact that I never saw the great 53-54 team.  I'm very envious!

Undoubtedly, most of them should figure in our deliberations but it's hard to make comparisons across the ages.

Hancock I saw and he was a brilliant keeper.

Albert Leake I met on several occasions and his scoring record in the Cup run was amazing. Wonderful fella too, a lovely man.

The best midfielder for me is probably Ian Taylor. We've had a few but he stands out for me and (controversially perhaps) would edge out Walker or Earle.

I don't recall Hunt. Andy Jones was maybe the best individual striker I've seen. So much pace and power and directness. Foyle runs him close.

Nice memories.

Thanks.

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2 hours ago, KingRay said:

I saw all the home games during the 1953/54 season and must agree with your assertion that it is the best Vale 11 that I have seen by some distance.

The best 2 goal keepers, again by some distance from the rest, were Ray King and Ken Hancock.  In my opinion Ray was better than Ken.  Next would be Neville Southall – I still remember his save from Tommy Gore on his debut for the Vale at Gigg Lane.

In terms of defence, none come anywhere near to Stan Turner (right back), Tommy Cheadle (centre half) and Reg Potts (left back).

Roy Sproson again stands out as a left half.

I think I would go for Ray Walker at right half in preference to Albert Mullard.

Right wing has to be Neville Chamberlain over Colin Askey, Brian Jackson and Jon McCarthy.

Inside right would be Albert Leake from that great 53/54 team followed by Tony Naylor.

My choice at centre forward is likely to be controversial.  The best I have seen was Ralph Hunt followed by Andy Jones and Tom Pope.  Ralph was signed by Norman Lowe, who was in hospital at the time.  He arrived at Vale Park on a clapped out motorbike minutes before kick-off and netted a first half hat-trick.  He had a great shot with both feet and was outstanding in the air.

Inside left would be Robbie Earle.

Left wing would be Steve Guppy followed by Dickie Cunliffe.

 

                                                    Ray King

Stan Turner                            Tom Cheadle                             Reg Potts

                 Ray Walker                                             Roy Sproson

                          Albert Leake                       Robbie Earle

Neville Chamberlain             Ralph Hunt                             Steve Guppy

Bench:  Ken Hancock, John Nicholson, Harry Poole, Ian Taylor, Tom Pope, Colin Askey, Dickie Cunliffe

12 local lads in that squad – can’t be bad.

Manager: John Rudge closely followed by Gordon Hodgson, who built the great 53/54 side but died of cancer before he could reap the benefits of his hard work.

My goodness, you have put a great amount of detail into that post. It’s fascinating to read, especially since you saw all those home games. That must have been really something to watch. Huge crowds , great atmosphere, all local lads . A very special season indeed. Brilliant story about Ralph Hunt. Just like a comic book . It made me smile. The inclusion of Pope, Taylor, Guppy , Earle , and Chamberlain makes it almost world class. Thanks very much. 
Up The  Vale 
 

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3 hours ago, KingRay said:

I saw all the home games during the 1953/54 season and must agree with your assertion that it is the best Vale 11 that I have seen by some distance.

The best 2 goal keepers, again by some distance from the rest, were Ray King and Ken Hancock.  In my opinion Ray was better than Ken.  Next would be Neville Southall – I still remember his save from Tommy Gore on his debut for the Vale at Gigg Lane.

In terms of defence, none come anywhere near to Stan Turner (right back), Tommy Cheadle (centre half) and Reg Potts (left back).

Roy Sproson again stands out as a left half.

I think I would go for Ray Walker at right half in preference to Albert Mullard.

Right wing has to be Neville Chamberlain over Colin Askey, Brian Jackson and Jon McCarthy.

Inside right would be Albert Leake from that great 53/54 team followed by Tony Naylor.

My choice at centre forward is likely to be controversial.  The best I have seen was Ralph Hunt followed by Andy Jones and Tom Pope.  Ralph was signed by Norman Lowe, who was in hospital at the time.  He arrived at Vale Park on a clapped out motorbike minutes before kick-off and netted a first half hat-trick.  He had a great shot with both feet and was outstanding in the air.

Inside left would be Robbie Earle.

Left wing would be Steve Guppy followed by Dickie Cunliffe.

 

                                                    Ray King

Stan Turner                            Tom Cheadle                             Reg Potts

                 Ray Walker                                             Roy Sproson

                          Albert Leake                       Robbie Earle

Neville Chamberlain             Ralph Hunt                             Steve Guppy

Bench:  Ken Hancock, John Nicholson, Harry Poole, Ian Taylor, Tom Pope, Colin Askey, Dickie Cunliffe

12 local lads in that squad – can’t be bad.

Manager: John Rudge closely followed by Gordon Hodgson, who built the great 53/54 side but died of cancer before he could reap the benefits of his hard work.

Why Neville over Mark?

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