Port Vale v Chelsea in FA Cup: Hurtling towards relegation – but can Vale shock Chelsea in FA Cup?
There are pictures on the ground and on the wall next to the Railway Stand celebrating Port Vale’s past victories, including the Football League Cup final against Stockport in 1993 and Brentford in 2001.
While Brentford have since established themselves in the Premier League, Vale have never played in a top-flight league.
But there have also been memorable FA Cup highlights, such as when Tottenham lost 2-1 here in 1988.
Accordingly Port Vale’s official website,, external Spurs boss Terry Venables took one look at the pitch and told star midfielder Ossie Ardiles he would “get lost in the mud”.
“I remember that day,” says fan Phil Hollins as he waits in an hour-long queue for Chelsea tickets. “Almost 40 years later, we still talk about it.”
Eight years after beating Spurs, Port Vale eliminated FA Cup holders Everton. But special moments like this are very rare.
Even promotion from League Two last season under Darren Moore, whom Brady took over three months ago, came at a price.
Port Vale posted an eye-watering loss of £6.1 million last week.
While their five FA Cup wins this season have netted £614,250 in FA prize money, some fans have expressed concerns about the club’s financial situation.
Others are more relaxed about the future under the management of husband-and-wife owners Kevin and Carol Shanahan, long-time Vale fans who have invested millions of pounds since buying the club in 2019.
“It’s like an angel has been sent from above,” fan Mick Hughes says of Carol, who is also the club’s chairman. “He’s someone who puts his heart into the club and doesn’t just think about dollar signs.”
Hollins adds: “Carol is a people’s person who does so much for the community. The club opened on Christmas Day to feed 150 people. She cares.”
While Hancock says the losses “look scary on paper,” he adds: “The Shanahan family is doing a lot of things right.
“The club is in a much better place than when he first took over. The facilities are much better and season ticket prices have remained stable at a time when everything is getting more expensive.
“It’s unfortunate that the football side of the club is suffering at the moment.”
