We asked a fan of each team give us their thoughts on the 2018-19 season. Have a read of their responses and enjoy!
1.In your opinion, how did 2018-19 go for your side?
If we count the 7th May (the day the club was sold) just after the season had finished, 2018-19 was nothing short of an unmitigated disaster for Port Vale. A second relegation battle in a row, the sad, but inevitable departure of Neil Aspin as manager, conflict between the Chairman and various supporters groups; all compounded by a squad lacking in quality and, at times, desire. There were a couple of bright points; the double over Crewe, spanking Stoke in the Checkatrade, the upturn in form under John Askey. However, at times, Vale Park was a despondent, desolate place, the gloom only lifted by the superb news of Carol and Kevin Shanahan’s takeover in the last few says.
2.What was your favourite moment in 2018-19?
Favourite moment is undoubtedly Luke Hannant dancing with the bottle of Carling that was thrown at him by seething Stoke fans as we stroked another past their Golden Generation, before flinging it back at the apoplectic Potters. It takes a special breed of fans to beat up innocent urinals during an U21s game, but Stoke fans rarely disappoint. Leon Legge’s winner vs Crewe away also contends, prompting a disconsolate David Artell to bemoan he’d ‘got away with murder’. All is overshadowed by the sale of the club, but if we’re sticking to on-the-pitch, Stoke fans letting off flares and losing on a points decision to the Away End Toilets at 4-0 down definitely sticks in the memory.
3.What was your worst moment in 2018-19?
Worst moment is difficult; there are too many bad moments that have conglomerated into one continuous disappointment for the final 3 years of the tenure of our previous chairman. The departure of Neil Aspin would have to rank as the worst; a club legend, and decent man, he simply wasn’t cut out for the job. The football at the end of his tenure was testing the limits of the most positive fan. Aspin kept us up, and is undoubtedly a Vale legend forever, but in this chaotic club it was never going to work, and seeing his reign end provoked strong emotions in many fans.
4.Which player impressed you the most on your team?
Scott Brown. Not even close. He’s an objectively top 3 keeper in League 2, and in my biased view there’s no one better. Not a single big error, a safe pair of hands, a monumental penalty save in the Mansfield game that triggered the run of form that kept us alive, and an all-round top bloke. Without him, we’re non-league. He swept the boards at Awards Evening and Vale fans celebrated his contract extension like a last-minute winner. On loan fullback Mitch Clark has had a decent season too, and the likes of Manny Oyeleke (injury ridden), Tom Conlon, and Dave Worrall have flashed in and out of form. Tom Pope, despite injury, managed to churn our another double figure goals season, and break several records in the process.
5.Which opposition player made the biggest impression?
CJ Hamilton looked superb in the Mansfield away game. Curtis Guthrie bullied Nathan Smith when we played Stevenage at home. Chuks Aneke is Chuks Aneke. Danny Mayor has no right plying his trade at this level. Above all, though, James Norwood is the best forward I’ve seen at this level in a long, long time.
6.What are your hopes for 2019-20?
Hopes are that we arrest the alarming decline of the past 3 seasons, attract back some of the 2000+ fans we have lost in that time, and trim the squad down so that we have a number of good, committed pros to build for the future. Not many fans will demand promotion; most would take a steady mid-table season and possibly a flirt with the top 7 around March. Having ethical, sensible fans now in the boardroom makes the world of difference.
7.Which area of the team needs most improvement for next season?
Attack, attack, attack. We had a good defensive record this year, our away record being the best in the FL (bizarrely). However, for the second consecutive season, we relied exclusively on Tom Pope to score goals. Pope once again provided, but he lacked support, service, and fitness throughout the campaign, and needs to be managed more carefully as he gets older. Ricky Miller was the great hope, but bar an opening day tease and a Mansfield double he hasn’t looked up to it. Ben Whitfield, Cristian Montano, and Dave Worrall have showed flurries of form but not had the goals to back it up, or the consistency. Priorities are a mobile striker, a proper pacey wideman, and a player comfortable on the ball in the middle (should Oyeleke depart/not stay fit). From the noises coming from Askey, a big rebuild is under way, and after the last few seasons, I’m fairly excited.
words Joe Baker, Port Vale fan