7 hours ago, MBE said:

I had forgotten about him.

Out of the signings so far he is probably the only you would say is a defo starter.

It would be a surprise if he didn't.  Gabriel will probably start and touch and go with the keeper. The other 4 I'd guess need to wait for opportunities to impress,  or maybe a phenomenal preseason.  Unless Moore decides to go 3 4 3 - then Waine, Richards and Shipley would all be in the mix.

8 hours ago, Guitar Ray said:

Garrity maybe, but what about the others who share the same relegated and promoted stat?  Tom Sang, leader?  The point is you can have decent players who end up in relegated teams, and that team could’ve been relegated due to a number of factors.

Ultimately teams get relegated because the squad isn't good enough. We ended up relying on Plant, Dipepa,  Lomax, Shorrock and Walters who were incredibly inexperienced.  All the January signings were a disaster,  most got injured in the first week. For a chunk of the season we didn't have a fit striker. Ben Garrity missed that crucial period straight after the window. A couple of senior players were carrying knocks and sometimes not training between games. Some players were brought back too quickly from injuries when clearly unfit, notably Clark. At times the first 11 was the only players who were able to run and some of those were still on the physio table on Friday. With hindsight we should have held onto Cass and Conlon, although I didn't think so at the time. At least they had some experience of league football. Really when you look at that January to April period it's pretty hard to pass judgement on individual players as it was a mess.

We won't have the same problem next season.  I don't think the squad is good enough to challenge for the automatics. It's got enough depth to not play anyone who is unfit and purely for that reason we are unlikely to go down. With a downhill run there's enough to challenge for the lower playoff spots but in all probability it will be lower mid-table. Mathematical safety by the end of March would be satisfactory after the 22 to 24 seasons. As in most years the relegated teams will be from the smaller ones, who lose a number of key players for a chunk of the season.  

10 hours ago, Fosse69 said:

So the Vale are not capable of making their own decisions?

You might have missed my point.

Some Vale fans have already written off Croasdale as "not being L1 quality" because when Stockport went up to L1 from L2, they didn't want to keep him for L1.

I have no worries at all. He's a class act. 

10 hours ago, valeparklife said:

People can't think for themselves.

They see that Stockport went up to L1 and discarded him, so have come to the conclusion that he isn't L1 quality.

My Stockport mate said when they got promoted and released a load of players that Croasdale was the 1 player the fans would have kept.

11 hours ago, Guitar Ray said:

Garrity maybe, but what about the others who share the same relegated and promoted stat?  Tom Sang, leader?  The point is you can have decent players who end up in relegated teams, and that team could’ve been relegated due to a number of factors.

You can have decent players in relegated teams but you see who the fair weather players are in relegation teams. 

Back to back relegations for a player isn’t a bad luck.

33 minutes ago, valeparklife said:

Some Vale fans have already written off Croasdale as "not being L1 quality" because when Stockport went up to L1 from L2, they didn't want to keep him for L1.

 

Fans opinions are usually not worth listening to (probably not even my own). You generally hear far much more rubbish than you ever do useful (still, I get some sort of morbid enjoyment out of reading it online). 

I can't / won't judge the Stockport case with Croasdale because 1) I'm not going to judge something so trivial on paper as the fact that they released him upon promotion; 2) I didn't watch Croasdale in a Stockport team and 3) Darren Moore is going to be the judge (and a better one than me at that). 

3 hours ago, JRC said:

We won't have the same problem next season.  I don't think the squad is good enough to challenge for the automatics. It's got enough depth to not play anyone who is unfit and purely for that reason we are unlikely to go down. With a downhill run there's enough to challenge for the lower playoff spots but in all probability it will be lower mid-table.

Miracle if we are challenging up the top end, personally. 

Think most on here will bit your hand off at just staying up. 

The tricky bit will be just staying up won't be pretty. A team in that position is going to be scrambling for points and have rare bits of form. Given how Moore has us playing, I am a bit fearful of the fan feedback and attitude towards Moore when things are not going great. 

There were just 3 or 4 games last season I think we scored more than 2 at home! We are not great to watch. Get ready for a lot of valiant displays of rearguard action and scraping points to stay up. 

We've built the team from the back for this year so far in terms of transfer recruitment and filled in the gaps left by outgoings. What we haven't done yet is laid down a marker on bringing in attacking players that might get us excited, off our feet and a bit more confident of scoring goals (Waine doesn't count). At the moment we are counting on Stockley still making the grade, and Tolaj stepping up as I think we all know he is capable of. 

My prediction is 18th, 52 points. We should do it, lets not lose faith though when we have a rough run.

Edited July 7, 2025Jul 7 by NW9Valiant

3 hours ago, JRC said:

Ultimately teams get relegated because the squad isn't good enough. We ended up relying on Plant, Dipepa,  Lomax, Shorrock and Walters who were incredibly inexperienced.  All the January signings were a disaster,  most got injured in the first week. For a chunk of the season we didn't have a fit striker. Ben Garrity missed that crucial period straight after the window. A couple of senior players were carrying knocks and sometimes not training between games. Some players were brought back too quickly from injuries when clearly unfit, notably Clark. At times the first 11 was the only players who were able to run and some of those were still on the physio table on Friday. With hindsight we should have held onto Cass and Conlon, although I didn't think so at the time. At least they had some experience of league football. Really when you look at that January to April period it's pretty hard to pass judgement on individual players as it was a mess.

We won't have the same problem next season.  I don't think the squad is good enough to challenge for the automatics. It's got enough depth to not play anyone who is unfit and purely for that reason we are unlikely to go down. With a downhill run there's enough to challenge for the lower playoff spots but in all probability it will be lower mid-table. Mathematical safety by the end of March would be satisfactory after the 22 to 24 seasons. As in most years the relegated teams will be from the smaller ones, who lose a number of key players for a chunk of the season.  

The squad we have now is far stronger than the one that got relegated but I feel L1 as a whole is better than the L1 we left. Unfortunately the strikers couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo and that cost us our place. Had we have had Stockley instead of Loft or Uche we'd have survived 

8 hours ago, NW9Valiant said:

You do know players get older and not necessarily better every season? 

If he was good enough why is it Tranmere he's ended up?

Yep, 29 is well past it. Croasdale at 30 is going to really struggle and Amos at 35 has no hope. 

3 hours ago, JRC said:

Ultimately teams get relegated because the squad isn't good enough. We ended up relying on Plant, Dipepa,  Lomax, Shorrock and Walters who were incredibly inexperienced.  All the January signings were a disaster,  most got injured in the first week. For a chunk of the season we didn't have a fit striker. Ben Garrity missed that crucial period straight after the window. A couple of senior players were carrying knocks and sometimes not training between games. Some players were brought back too quickly from injuries when clearly unfit, notably Clark. At times the first 11 was the only players who were able to run and some of those were still on the physio table on Friday. With hindsight we should have held onto Cass and Conlon, although I didn't think so at the time. At least they had some experience of league football. Really when you look at that January to April period it's pretty hard to pass judgement on individual players as it was a mess.

We won't have the same problem next season.  I don't think the squad is good enough to challenge for the automatics. It's got enough depth to not play anyone who is unfit and purely for that reason we are unlikely to go down. With a downhill run there's enough to challenge for the lower playoff spots but in all probability it will be lower mid-table. Mathematical safety by the end of March would be satisfactory after the 22 to 24 seasons. As in most years the relegated teams will be from the smaller ones, who lose a number of key players for a chunk of the season.  

TLDR - We had Loft and Uche up top 

21 minutes ago, philpvfc said:

Yep, 29 is well past it. Croasdale at 30 is going to really struggle and Amos at 35 has no hope. 

Didn't say he's past it, but he's peaked, certainly. 

And that was in *checks notes* League 2. 

Oh wait, we're in League 1 now. 

Croasdale will be fine, but if you're using Stockport releasing him as your sarcastic measure.... go for it 😄 

12 hours ago, Guitar Ray said:

Not many are writing him off, just one or two, er, “characters.  Life’s rich tapestry….

That's still "one or two" too many. 

1 hour ago, valeparklife said:

You might have missed my point.

Some Vale fans have already written off Croasdale as "not being L1 quality" because when Stockport went up to L1 from L2, they didn't want to keep him for L1.

I have no worries at all. He's a class act. 

Sorry about that, I didn't mean it personal. I have no worries either, Vale judge on merit not what other clubs think.

9 hours ago, NW9Valiant said:

You do know players get older and not necessarily better every season? 

If he was good enough why is it Tranmere he's ended up?

"ended up". He signed with them before the season even ended but okay. Smith wasn't interested in playing as high a level as he can, he just wants to be in an environment feels comfortable at. Which is why he joined with Crosby and his mates at up the road Tranmere. Which is why he stayed loyal to us when we were <ovf censored>.

Smith peaked as the best player in a Port Vale team that finished 18th in League One. And *checks notes* you say "My prediction is 18th". So, according to your own logic, Smith is good enough. 

2 hours ago, NW9Valiant said:

Fans opinions are usually not worth listening to (probably not even my own). You generally hear far much more rubbish than you ever do useful (still, I get some sort of morbid enjoyment out of reading it online). 

I can't / won't judge the Stockport case with Croasdale because 1) I'm not going to judge something so trivial on paper as the fact that they released him upon promotion; 2) I didn't watch Croasdale in a Stockport team and 3) Darren Moore is going to be the judge (and a better one than me at that). 

Miracle if we are challenging up the top end, personally. 

Think most on here will bit your hand off at just staying up. 

The tricky bit will be just staying up won't be pretty. A team in that position is going to be scrambling for points and have rare bits of form. Given how Moore has us playing, I am a bit fearful of the fan feedback and attitude towards Moore when things are not going great. 

There were just 3 or 4 games last season I think we scored more than 2 at home! We are not great to watch. Get ready for a lot of valiant displays of rearguard action and scraping points to stay up. 

We've built the team from the back for this year so far in terms of transfer recruitment and filled in the gaps left by outgoings. What we haven't done yet is laid down a marker on bringing in attacking players that might get us excited, off our feet and a bit more confident of scoring goals (Waine doesn't count). At the moment we are counting on Stockley still making the grade, and Tolaj stepping up as I think we all know he is capable of. 

My prediction is 18th, 52 points. We should do it, lets not lose faith though when we have a rough run.

Moore's approach might, paradoxically, create a more exciting spectacle at home against better opposition, as they are more likely to be open and attack us, creating opportunities for counter attacks.

I also suspect there will be more fan tolerance, as expectations will be lower.

The thrill of the underdog!!

Nathan Ake has just sat down on the sunbed next to mine on holiday.

I thought about asking him if he fancies joining us, but then noticed he was wearing £650 sandals!!!!!! I reckon we just stick with Conor Hall 🤣

God knows why he is slumming it at an all inclusive hotel in Mallorca but he looks pretty uncomfortable!