Wednesday, 5 October 2022

ROBBIE WILLIAMS AND THE VALIANTS

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. 
Port Vale FC 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 CanalThe Club took its name from the venue of the inaugural meeting at 'Port Vale House', in a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent.

In 1892 they were founder members of the Football League, Second Divisin 1892 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??? SHAME...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!

Robbie Williams, a local, owns part of Port Vale FC. In 2014, he was awarded the freedom of his home town of Stoke-on-Trent, as well as having a tourist trail created and streets named in his honour. Robert Peter Williams was born on 13 February 1974 in Stoke, the son of Janet (née Farrell) and Peter Williams (also known as Pete Conway), who ran a pub called the Red Lion in Burslem before his father became the licensee at the Port Vale FC Social Club.

They have never played top-flight football, and hold the records for the most seasons in the EFL (111) 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". They play in EFL One having won promotion from 2021-2 through the play offs, having come 5th in the division of 24.

After playing at the Athletic Ground in Cobridge and at The Old Recreation Ground in Hanley, the club returned to Burslem when Vale Park was opened in 1950. Outside the ground is a statue to Roy Sproson, who played 842 competitive games for the club. The club's traditional rivals are Stoke City, in what is called the Potteries Derby, when they meet.

Becoming one of the more prominent football clubs in Staffordhire, Burslem Port Vale were invited to become founder members of the Football League Second Division in 1892. They spent 13 non-consecutive seasons in the division, punctuated by two seasons in the Midland League. before they resigned due to financial difficulties and entered liquidation in 1907. The name of Port Vale continued in the North Staffordshire Federation League, and this new club were successful enough to be reinstated into the Football League in 1919.

The club 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.

Carol and Kevin Shanahan, then owners of Synectics Solutions, have just completed the purchase of PVFC, The freehold of the ground and stadium has been purchased by the club, through an independent PV Holdings Ltd, Synectics employs over 360 staff and is conveniently sited next door to the stadium. The new owners are passionately involved with the club and the local area in Burslem. Synectics remains separate from the football club. The business has recently moved from nearby Newcastle-Under-Lyme.

In 2005, Robbie Williams founded a football team called Los Angeles Vale F.C. Williams formed the club with other celebrity friends after building his own soccer pitch at his home in Los Angeles. The club was named after Williams' hometown club, Port Vale, and its logo was very similar. The club supposedly was disbanded in 2007, reportedly after Williams discovered two players had swindled him out of £200,000.

Port Vale Ladies was formed in 2017 and won the Staffordshire County League in their maiden season, before they entered the West Midlands Regional League at the start of the 2018–19 season. The name was changed to Port Vale F.C. Women at the end of the 2020–21 season. The women's section also runs girls teams at under-9, under-11, under-12, under-13, under-14 and under-16 level. Below, captain Meg Ryan in full flow.

































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!

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