Port Vale

Oxon,
50 stickers? You spent £500!
But, great memories.
The nearest I ever got to a "hero" was when Chris Kamara told me to get out of his way!
I wasn't big enough to argue!

Didn't know that regarding The Burslem name. Isn't Robbie Williams a fan of Port Vale ? Oxen, nice memories like holding the FA cup medal is what it's all about. My cousin up in Nottingham has spent his life in a wheel chair and when we were kids we used to be envious of him because of the oppotunities he had like meeting Brian Clough and having numerous photos taken holding the European cup, back then he thought he was the luckiest person alive ! He still attends Forest games and talks about his memories like we are now.

Sorry, did mean Oxon.

Hi Red,

I was in Stoke for 6 weeks and the hotel bill was roughly £100 a week (bloomin cheap now). I was up there on my own and with no car at the time. The city centre was a fair distance from the hotel so the nights were a bit boring to say the least (being 19/20 at the time). Still they were made worthwhile by that one week-end.

It's interesting how football, particularly at STFC, has integrated more with the fans. When I was younger the players always seemed very distant with very little chance of talking to them. These days with the open days etc the kids really get the chance to feel part of the club. Long may it continue.

COYR

Oxon,
I don't really agree about contact with players being better. When I was a lad, at home games, a lot of players used to walk to the ground & were always happy to chat to us kids, sign autographs etc.

Red,

Bit different for me, maybe because I lived out of town, but I don't remember the type of events that are organised now.

One event that I do remember that was a regular fixture was the Swindon Town FC Cricket Club. I was lucky enough to be picked to play against them one year as they knew I was a keen Town fan. Even got to bowl but at 14 I was a bit nervous and only lasted one over after John Trollope hit me all over the ground !

Shame they stopped the cricket matches but I guess with the season now finishing much later than years ago they don't have time. My brother's birthday party on the first Saturday in May always coincided with the FA Cup Final. Now they don't finish until nearly June !!!

COYR

Oxon,
I lived out of town too! Had to get the train from Chipp. The train times meant plenty of time to be hanging around before the game, or a rush to get there for the start.
Not so bad in May, but pretty dire in January!

Just found out that Vale Park is the 2nd highest ground in England at 160 metres above sea level beating Boundary park by 5 metres. The highest is the Hawthorns at 168 metres. Hats and gloves this weekend for us southern softies !

I bow to your knowledge Notts, but I am surprised that WBA is the highest. I always thought Burnley was pretty high! And Macclesfield! I did go to the Hawthorns once, & it didn't seem like I was driving uphill much.
Anyway, we didn't do any "training at altitude" this year, so maybe we will be at a disadvantage.
Though it didn't do us a lot of good last season when the players that went were immediately replaced by panic buys who didn't go pre-season.

I thought that this was a tricky one. But what a settled defence does for you.....
Well done the team!