Their fringe players play tippy tappy non contact football in meaningless reserve games. Face a massive reality check when they come and play in real games. In the Trophy games where we played Premier League youngsters how many impressed ? Very few and I came away thinking unless these guys improved massively they were unlikely to make the grade. .

Edited June 24, 2025Jun 24 by man in the pub

9 hours ago, valefan79 said:

Agree were far ahead in terms of the squad than 2/3 years ago but the league is far stronger than last time. Last time we were at this level, the likes of Fleetwood, Morecambe, Acrrington, Cambridge, Shrewsbury, Cheltenham, Fleetwood were all at our level, these half the size of ourselves.  The likes of Exeter, Stevenage Wigan all had a number of years in league 1 and never really been in danger of going down, Bradford and Donny seem to have brought ok and likely to add extra. For me I see the likes of Wimbledon and Burton really struggling but maintain unless we sign 2 defenders who are first team ready and a striker to play with Tolaj, Stockley while being great will be 32 later this year and had those back issues.  We have built the buzz around the place again but the new league is so demanding and do genuinely think people forget how difficult it can be.  If we had gone up easy with 90+ points and won the title, I get it but we got 80 points, a number of years that would not have been good enough to go up. 

People are hugely underestimating how difficult this league will be this year.

I'm still struggling to see 4 teams we'll finish above.

Personally think we're in for a long hard season.

About 70% of our 22 wins last season were by 1 goal. That's fine margins. It's coin toss football. We hardly blew L2 out of the water.

The step up in quality will surprise a lot of people.

Just now, valeparklife said:

People are hugely underestimating how difficult this league will be this year.

I'm still struggling to see 4 teams we'll finish above.

Personally think we're in for a long hard season.

About 70% of our 22 wins last season were by 1 goal. That's fine margins. It's coin toss football. We hardly blew L2 out of the water.

The step up in quality will surprise a lot of people.

Just thought I'd check my maths - 15 out of the 22 wins last season were by 1 goal. 

37 minutes ago, valeparklife said:

People are hugely underestimating how difficult this league will be this year.

I'm still struggling to see 4 teams we'll finish above.

Personally think we're in for a long hard season.

About 70% of our 22 wins last season were by 1 goal. That's fine margins. It's coin toss football. We hardly blew L2 out of the water.

The step up in quality will surprise a lot of people.

Jumping on the bandwagon, I was looking at the squad as it is now. We look solid/efficient enough, apart from the CB position. Hopefully, we make good additions here. Also, I don't see a player who can link the midfield with the attack. That was a weakness last season. We'll no doubt attack down the wing but we need someone behind the front two who can create or run at the defence, especially if we go behind in a game. A sort of 'Plan  B'.

1 hour ago, valeparklife said:

People are hugely underestimating how difficult this league will be this year.

I'm still struggling to see 4 teams we'll finish above.

Personally think we're in for a long hard season.

About 70% of our 22 wins last season were by 1 goal. That's fine margins. It's coin toss football. We hardly blew L2 out of the water.

The step up in quality will surprise a lot of people.

I agree it will be a tough season. I do expect a serious step up in quality because of how easily Barnsley saw us off last season and how feeble we were in the division last time. 
 

Having said that, the early strengthening to what we have looks highly promising and there is no reason why we cannot have a season comfortably safe of relegation. 
 

The one thing I would struggle to argue with is that we will have a side that will get anywhere near the playoffs or have any prospect of another promotion.

 

However I’d be delighted with a quiet, consolidating season. 

1 hour ago, valeparklife said:

Just thought I'd check my maths - 15 out of the 22 wins last season were by 1 goal. 

I think Vale fans are under no illusions how hard leagu one will be it’s only 12 months ago when we were relegated from that division

And 8 of the 10 league defeats this season were by 1 goal ..

Edited June 25, 2025Jun 25 by aspin for england

Hoping for a mid table position and consolidate our Lg 1 status.  But the players we currently have can do it if we get players capable and they have experience of this league and higher leagues.  But they cost.  

In DM and CO we have to trust they can get these players in.  

Be nice to see some new faces on FB saying he is now a Valiant.

9 hours ago, man in the pub said:

Their fringe players play tippy tappy non contact football in meaningless reserve games. Face a massive reality check when they come and play in real games. In the Trophy games where we played Premier League youngsters how many impressed ? Very few and I came away thinking unless these guys improved massively they were unlikely to make the grade. .

I haven't been impressed with the vast majority of the U21 sides we've faced. I've come around to the view that what we are doing with first year pros is probably better for their development.  Mixing non league football with spells back at the club playing under 19 football. Our young players looked physically better than Newcastle or Wolves in recent matches. Kyle John developed massively last season.  Shocking really that he'd played no man's football until he was 24. I really struggle to understand the point of under 23 football. 

1 hour ago, TJHValiant said:

I agree it will be a tough season. I do expect a serious step up in quality because of how easily Barnsley saw us off last season and how feeble we were in the division last time. 
 

Having said that, the early strengthening to what we have looks highly promising and there is no reason why we cannot have a season comfortably safe of relegation. 
 

The one thing I would struggle to argue with is that we will have a side that will get anywhere near the playoffs or have any prospect of another promotion.

 

However I’d be delighted with a quiet, consolidating season. 

Barnsley we pretty much played a second string, not one of our key midfielders played, Grant, Cover, Sang and Lowe was our midfield.

 

1 hour ago, aspin for england said:

I think Vale fans are under no illusions how hard leagu one will be it’s only 12 months ago when we were relegated from that division

And 8 of the 10 league defeats this season were by 1 goal ..

I would also caveat this argument that we only won by one goal most of the time in that it was largely by design, DM mostly set us up if we got ahead to then shut down the game and see it out (and in fairness as frustrating to watch as it was largely succeeded in doing that) last seasons Vale side was arguably the most well drilled side I have seen at VP in the 25 years I have been going.

 

2 hours ago, valeparklife said:

Just thought I'd check my maths - 15 out of the 22 wins last season were by 1 goal. 

So we’re 68%.

14 of Doncaster’s 24 wins were by one goals (58%).

13 of Bradford’s 22 wins were by one goal (59%).

We basically won 1-2 more games by one goal rather than more than one goal.

Hardly a serious problem.

New signing incoming  i don't think its Marosi either

Edited June 25, 2025Jun 25 by Southern_Valiant

Fresh hit of dopamine coming for the transfer addicts.

New signing set to be announced 

Incoming