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First County Visit:	Saturday 9th December 1978
Competition:	Football League Division 4 – (Tier 4)
Result:	Port Vale 2 – 1 Stockport County
Attendance:	3,689
Away Trip:	9
Away Day:	9
County Line-up	1 Mike Rogan; 2 Andy Thorpe; 3 John Rutter; 4 Graham Smith; 5 Terry Park; 6 Ken Fogarty; 7 Phil Henson; (12 Jimmy Goodfellow); 8 Carl Halford; 9 Eddie Prudham; 10 Les Bradd; 11 Stuart Lee
Scorer:	Les Bradd
Manager:	Mike Summerbee
County Visits:	19

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THE WEMBLEY OF THE NORTH …. HMMM

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A less than memorable reverse was the heartache of losing the 1993 play-off semi- final to a late Martin Foyle goal in a game referreed by one David Elleray, a name which was to come back and haunt the Hatters but 12 months later. Heartbreaking indeed.

More poignant was an encounter in April 2011.  By that time County fans were largely reconciled that a long and proud history in the Football League as coming to an end. A 3-1 win at Barnet just before the turn of the year saw County in 18^th spot with a small buffer between them and the relegation spots. 

Cue the decision to part company with manager Paul Simpson.  Many would argue that this catapulted County into non-League.  That’s a matter of conjecture, but the certainty is that it was costly as common gossip had it that Simpson continued to be paid for a considerable period after the sacking.  It brought 4 months of turmoil, with a couple of changes of manager as firstly fans favourite Peter Ward, (right hand man to Jim Gannon in the play-off winning team only three years previously), and then lower league veteran manager Ray Mathias sought to maintain that League status.  On one infamous night at Accrington there seemingly wasn’t a manager at all. 

The Board had seen fit to dispose of Ward the night previously, ignorant of the fact that a trip to North East Lancashire was scheduled the following day. A 3-0 hammering inevitably ensued – but what we were observing was a Club in the desperate throes of totally inept administration.

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Setting out en-route to Vale Park on a bright Easter Saturday afternoon the Hatters had played 21 games since that win at Underhill.  A full 13 points had been garnered, leaving County rock bottom of the table, Ten Away Days had produced not a single point – it truly was hard work making the effort to get on the road, and Jeff Lawrenson and myself had seen each and every minute of those 10 losses.  The change in personnel had been significant.  Only 5 of the 14 who had been on duty at Barnet remained.  At 3.00 County were 9 points adrift of safety knowing that a loss would effectively condemn them to relegation, with only three games remaining.  There wasn’t even anything mathematical about it, unless the optimists, (or more likely the deluded), could persuade themselves that a goal difference 32 worse than 22^nd place Burton could be overturned.

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It felt more like a wake even when Anthony Elding put County ahead.  The Vale duly equalised, but contrary to any expectation or even hope Elding notched a second and the points headed towards EP. An away win at the 11^th time of asking!!  With 3 games remaining and fellow strugglers Northampton due to visit Edgeley 48 hours later and only being 6 points better off those optimists saw hope reborn. Maybe it was in keeping with the Easter story – a miraculous resurrection with the next stage being a victory over the Cobblers.  History of course records that a 2-2 draw two days later effectively consigned us to the drop, which was finally confirmed with a defeat at Gresty Road 5 days later.

I described this visit as poignant.  It was the last away points that County were to gain in the Football League and as things turned out the very last win as well.  On a personal basis it was my 676^th Away Trip and the last of 185 victories seen on the road.  At that point I looked forward to regrouping, a season or so in the Conference National and then a return to trips to places which I’d been used to over the years.  Little was I to know ….

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But, pushing back the years to 1978.  Vale Park then was much as it had been when built in 1950.  Grandiosely described at that point as the “Wembley of the North”, much of the ambition seemed to disappear as did the money to finance it.  The arena I first saw was virtually unchanged from that in 1950. 

Covered terracing and seating down one side; terracing behind the goals, one covered and the other open to the elements.  It was the “Main Stand” side that was intriguing.  By 1978 called the Lorne Street side, as the stand had never come to fruition, it comprised a huge open terrace, topped off with a structure which always reminded me more of a cricket pavilion. Apparently this edifice had been a temporary provision until the stand was built.  Temporary enough as it happens to last the thick end of 50 years before a new stand was built, or more accurately half built on that poignant last visit.

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Click for Video footage of Vale Park in 1979

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The open visitors terrace, (Hamil Road End), was how a ground should be, and for the first 9 visits provided the vantage point, (the photo above is taken from there, with the terrace itself pictured below). 

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The Play Off game in 1993 saw a change.  The terracing was still there but cover had been provided.  Looking back at the records, (Away Trip 26), I find that this was not the first time that this structure had afforded me shelter.  The demise of Sealand Road had seen Chester conduct the equivalent of a fire sale, and the main stand cover was acquired by Vale for a song, (albeit that the transportation and re-erection costs swallowed up more than a few bob).  Recycling at its best I suppose.

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Reflecting on Vale Park as I write in October 2016, I realise that I do miss places like it, even though the spectator experience around non-league is generally far better.  The fact that visiting there again is, certainly in the medium term future, dependent on a good cup run, is all the more depressing. Nine grounds into my journey by this point the hopes; expectations; highs and lows of the visiting fan had certainly grabbed me.  I wanted more … and there wouldn’t hopefully be too long to wait

October 2016

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VISITS

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Day	Date	Competition	Tier / Round	Opponents	Res	F	A	Crowd	Away Day
Sat	09/12/78	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Port Vale	L	1	2	3,689	9
Fri	07/12/79	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Port Vale	W	2	1	2,799	21
Mon	29/09/80	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Port Vale	L	0	2	2,835	30
Sat	26/09/81	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Port Vale	L	0	1	2,755	46
Sat	02/01/82	FA Cup	Round 2	Port Vale	L	1	4	4,478	52
Sat	02/10/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Port Vale	W	3	2	3,474	64
Sat	23/02/85	Canon League Division 4	Tier 4	Port Vale	L	2	3	3,154	107
Sat	09/11/85	Canon League Division 4	Tier 4	Port Vale	D	1	1	5,248	123
Sat	29/08/92	Barclays League Division 2	Tier 3	Port Vale	D	0	0	6,340	239
Wed	19/05/93 (Highlights)	Barclays League Division 2	Tier 3 Play-off semi final	Port Vale	L	0	1	12,689	262
Sat	12/02/94	Endsleigh League Division 2	Tier 3	Port Vale	D	1	1	10,628	273
Tues	09/09/97 (Highlights)	Nationwide Football League – Division 1	Tier 2	Port Vale	L	1	2	6,615	363
Sat	13/03/99	Nationwide Football League – Division 1	Tier 2	Port Vale	D	1	1	6,456	404
Sat	26/02/00	Nationwide Football League – Division 1	Tier 2	Port Vale	D	1	1	5,663	421
Sat	24/08/02	Nationwide Football League – Division 2	Tier 3	Port Vale	W	1	0	4,070	465
Sun	28/12/03	Nationwide Football League – Division 2	Tier 3	Port Vale	D	2	2	6,237	498
Sat	23/10/04	Coca-Cola Football League – League 1	Tier 3	Port Vale	D	0	0	5,025	513
Tues	06/10/09	Johnstones Paints Trophy	Northern Round 2	Port Vale	L	1	3	3,154	640
Sat	23/04/11	npower Football League – League 2	Tier 4	Port Vale	W	2	1	5,334	676

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ON MY JOURNEY WITH COUNTY AROUND 180 GROUNDS

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Previously – PLOUGH LANE Next stop – SPRINGFIELD PARK