A visit to Vale Park is next up for the Reds as we head to the home of Port Vale this Saturday.
The stadium itself holds 19,052 although just under 50,000 squeezed in there during an FA Cup fifth round fixture against Aston Villa in 1950. Following recent developments, the stadium has now become an all-seater.
Trips to Burslem in recent years have yielded mixed returns for the Reds, with one win, a draw and a defeat since 2011.
Our only victory at Vale Park came in March 2015 courtesy of goals from Anthony Wordsworth, Izale McLeod and Richard Wood in a thrilling 3-2 victory when Reds twice came from behind. It was also, of course, the ground where we played our first Football League game, drawing 2-2 after leading twice and finishing with ten men. Kyle McFadzean and Tyrone Barnett were our scorers.
Signal One is the name of the stand where the Reds fans will be housed, where up to 4,500 away supporters can be accommodated. The concourse has various food options, with Rollover hot dogs and a selection of pies to choose from.
The club programme comes at cost of £3 sold from booths throughout the ground.
If you’re heading for a pre-match beverage, then the closest option is the ‘Vale Social’, which normally admits away fans at a cost of £2 per person. The next choice would be the Bull’s Head located in St John’s Square, a ten-minute walk from the stadium. The pub is the perfect place for away fans, with a BBQ on offer before the game.
Please note that cash is not accepted at the away turnstiles, you have to buy a ticket from the cabin in the car park by the away end which is cash only.
Advance ticket sales close at 4pm on Friday (April 7) from our Box Office. Prices - Adults (22-61) £20; Seniors (62 plus) £15; 18-21 years £15; 2-12 years £8: Under-12s free. Admission on the day increases by £2.
Vale Park is probably the venue in League 2 which is badly served by trains more than any other. Stoke on Trent railway station is four miles away, so that means a taxi to the ground (and one back). The nearest station to the ground is actually Longport, which is a 25-30-minute walk away. The 0939 from Three Bridges gets to Stoke via Euston at 1224 and then there is a 1234 connection to Longport. Other services are the 0953 (1327 Longport) or 1032 (1339). There is an hourly return service. The 1727 from Longport gets into Three Bridges at 2044, the 1827 at 2144. Both run via Stoke and London Euston.
Looking to join the travelling fans on the supporters’ coach? GH coaches leave at 8:00am on Saturday from the Checkatrade Stadium.
Go to www.ghcoaches.co.uk for more details.
