THE VALIANTS AND THE STAGS

Today two of our lesser known clubs, Mansfield Town and Port Vale meet in the League Two Play Off at Wembley. The winners will play in Le4ague One next season. To get to the final, Vale beat Swindon Town and  Mansfield beat Northampton Town. Vale (5th in the division) had taken four points off, Mansfield Town, The Stags (who came 7th) in the season.

Port Vale is the only English Football League club not to be named after a place; their name being a reference to the valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey Canal. They have never played top-flight football, and hold the records for the most seasons in the EFL (110) and in the second tier (41) without reaching the first tier. The club's traditional rivals are Stoke City and games between the two are known as the "Potteries Derby". Presently, they are in EFL2.

The crest was introduced in February 2013; it included local historical references: the Portland Vases representing Josiah Wedgwood (top left), the Scythe coming from the house crest of the Sneyd family (top right) and the silver cross appearing from the house crest of the local landowners, the Audley Family, as well as the Stafford Knot above the crest.

Founded in 1876 the Valiants were an amateur side, named after the club's meeting place, Port Vale House, a suburb of Stoke on Trent. The suburb in Stoke was a port serving the Trent-Mersey canals.
In 1884 the club moved to Burslem and added that to front of their club name, playing in the Midland League.
In 1892 they were founder members of the Football League, but had a few financial moments, leaving the league in 1896 but were able, in 1898, to rejoin the Division Two.
Times were tough and they collapsed again in 1907 and played Central League games under the more straight forward name, Port Vale. 

They rejoined the Football League after the First World War, replacing Leeds City who had been thrown out of the league after financial irregularities. Port Vale took over Leeds' remaining fixtures and finished 13th in the division.

In 1950 the club moved to the present Vale Park, remembering that this is a league club playing without a geographical place name. Any others?
https://www.quora.com/Is-Arsenal-the-only-club-not-named-after-the-city-state-they-are-based-in

Freddie Steele's "Iron Curtain" team won the Third Division North title in 1953-4 and reached the FA Cup semi-final, a very successful season.

In 1965-8, Potters' hero, Stanley Matthews, (who was he??? Look him up!!!) took over as General manager after he decided finally to retire from playing. Stanley Matthews  joined manager Jackie Mudie, a Scottish colleague from their days at Blackpool FC. They both won FA Cup medals in the 1953 Cup Final.

Since then Vale have been up and down, managed by Gordon Lee, John McGrath, John Rudge, Micky Adams to name a few, but do you know Bruno Ribeiro? He had a stab at bringing fame and fortune to the Valiants, in season 2016-17, unfortunately signing 19 new players didn't work and by December 2016, Bruno "retired" with Michael Brown standing in. He couldn't save Vale from relegation and they ended up in League Two. The club has appointed 16 managers this century!! Dean Glover three times!!

John Rudge and Neil Aspin are at the helm this season. Roy Sproson was manager between 1974-7; he holds the record for most appearances for the club-842 between 1950-1972. It didn't work much!