Port Vale Forum Pre Match Interview / Report vrs Southend

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Hi,

You may know I'm the pre-match reporter for the Port Vale Fans Forum One Vale Fan.

Part of my role is to contact fans of our forthcoming opponents to ask them a few questions and gain their views on the upcoming fixture between our sides in order to produce a report which we release on the site a couple of days prior to the game. Some of you kindly contributed to our reverse fixture article and I wondered if some posters would like to take part by answering some different questions.

I wondered if up to three of you have a few minutes and would kindly offer your feelings on the game by answering the following few questions;
1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan?
2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season) and where do you think you will finish the season?
3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)?
4. What are your thoughts on your manager?
5. Can you tell us up to 3 quirky things opposing fans might not know about your team?
6. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?
7. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?
8. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams and which Vale player past or present would you take for your team?
9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides) and what do you expect the attendance to be?
10. Finally can you pass on any decent recommendations for local ‘away friendly pubs’, eateries and the best places to park for our fans travelling to the game?


Please also feel free to include any other information you feel worthy and I will knock it into a report as per the example below regarding contribution from Doncaster fans from a game with them;
http://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2015/02/opposing-views-doncaster-h/

To enable me to produce this in good time I need a reply by Wednesday and the report should appear on the website a day or two before our fixture.

Please also let me know if you would like me to include your name on the article and if you are prepared to share one a photo of yourself we can utilise with the article.

Many thanks for your potential support in this matter.

Best Regards,


REP

 

[OldBlueLady]

Think I did this for you last time, so hopefully some others will step forward this :smiles:

 

[Dubai]

Can't comment for all this, but my favourite away pub is the cliff. Has cracking selection of ales and about 15 mins walk from the ground, always show the lunchtime game and usually put on a few beers deals from your lock brewery...so likely to have some stuff from Liverpool way...wel worth the walk though.

Enjoy.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

Can't comment for all this, but my favourite away pub is the cliff. Has cracking selection of ales and about 15 mins walk from the ground, always show the lunchtime game and usually put on a few beers deals from your lock brewery...so likely to have some stuff from Liverpool way...wel worth the walk though.

Enjoy.

You naughty boy.:thump:

 

[Tommy2holes]

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan?
Been a blues fan since 1993.
2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season) and where do you think you will finish the season?
I think most fans of all clubs hope for a good season. After a very poor start when Phil Brown was under pressure we have turned it around and have a capable squad. We are well capable of a top 6 finish.
3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)?
Simon cox is too good for league 1. Very clever and scores and assists plenty of goals. Wordsworth has a wand of a left foot and also scores goals.
4. What are your thoughts on your manager?
Most managers are short term. Phil Brown has an arrogance that means when things are going well he can pull it off. When things go badly he just sounds rediculous.
5. Can you tell us up to 3 quirky things opposing fans might not know about your team?
Can't think of anything
6. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?
Not really. I don't know much about port vale other than one of your better ex players used to play for us Anthony grant.
7. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?
Didn't attend
8. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams and which Vale player past or present would you take for your team?
9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides) and what do you expect the attendance to be?
If we're are on form then 3-1 southend with cox and wordsworth on the score sheet. Attendance between 6-7k
10. Finally can you pass on any decent recommendations for local ‘away friendly pubs’, eateries and the best places to park for our fans travelling to the game?

Street parking around the ground. The blue boar is designated away pub. 2.mins from the ground. Good chippy opposite. Pubs in town./seafront are about 15 to 20 mins from the ground.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Can't comment for all this, but my favourite away pub is the cliff. Has cracking selection of ales and about 15 mins walk from the ground, always show the lunchtime game and usually put on a few beers deals from your lock brewery...so likely to have some stuff from Liverpool way...wel worth the walk though.

Enjoy.

I can second this. The Cliff is a fine establishment (or at least it used to be) and one I've visited many times in years gone by. They won't be picky about wearing team colours either (in fact it could be a distinct advantage) but the singalong options could be somewhat different to usual match chants and a reasonable appreciation of 70s pop will go a long way.

 

[AndyT]

Actually, thinking about it, after last season's behavior of a minority of Vale fans after the game, maybe the pub isn't such a good idea.

Try the various coffee houses in the High Street and enjoy the match fully compos mentis! :thumbsup:

 

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Thanks guys, anyone else like to take part and answer all the questions, ideally I need it back today to create the article?

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

1. Tell us a bit about yourself & history as a fan?
Born and bred in Southend and my first game was in 1997, but I now live in Cheshire so I go to more away games than home ones these days.
2. How are your team doing (current form and in relation to the expectation of fans at the start of the season) and where do you think you will finish the season?
Very well. After a bad start to the season we've really turned things around and have only lost three in 22 league games. We're just outside the play-offs at the moment which probably would've been a realistic expectation for most fans at the start of the season. I think we'll be challenging for them until the end but it'll be tight. On paper we have quite a good run-in.
3. Who should we watch out for (one or more danger player/s)?
Our two strikers, Cox and Fortune, are in good form at the moment although Cox is a doubt for this game. We have Nile Ranger and Theo Robinson behind them so we have plenty of strength up front. Anthony Wordsworth in midfield is also a goal threat.
4. What are your thoughts on your manager?
Most fans, myself included, wanted him sacked in October as we ended last season badly and started this one just as poorly. It looked like he'd lost the squad. But credit to him, he's turned it round and we've found a settled system and a settled team. Credit to our chairman too for keeping faith with him when a lot of clubs would've sacked him.
5. Can you tell us up to 3 quirky things opposing fans might not know about your team?
From 1955 to 1988, Roots Hall was the newest stadium in the Football League.
We're the only British club to have a 100% record against Alex Ferguson's Manchester United.
6. Any views on the current Port Vale team & specific players?
You started the season well but obviously you're struggling at the moment. You had a new foreign manager and a big turnaround in players so at the start of the season I thought you'd be near the bottom.
7. Did you attend the reverse fixture earlier this season? If so what were your thoughts on the game?
Yes, sadly I did. We were rubbish. But thankfully much has changed since then for both teams.
8. Any views & memories of players / managers that have been involved with both teams and which Vale player past or present would you take for your team?
Anthony Grant is a popular former player who I think will be a loss to your side. Alex Jones is a loss too but that young centre-back Smith seems to be very highly-rated. Jerome Thomas is a threat when he's fit.
9. A score prediction (and potential scorers for both sides) and what do you expect the attendance to be?
I think we'll win but don't think there'll be a huge amount of goals. I'll go 1-0 Southend with Fortune scoring. Attendance will probably be around 7,000.
10. Finally can you pass on any decent recommendations for local ‘away friendly pubs’, eateries and the best places to park for our fans travelling to the game?
The Blue Boar is the designated away pub near the ground (where the club was founded). Otherwise there are plenty of eating and drinking establishments in the town centre. Generally if you get there in good time you can find street parking, although you may have to walk for 10/15 mins. Southend High School for Boys has been used as a car park in recent years but I'm not sure if it's open at the moment.