Last Update:
September 3, 2024
The ground has a good mixture of older and more modern stands.
The overall look was improved in 2020 with the installation of 1,500 seats in a previously unfinished part of the Lorne Street Stand. This stand is of a good size having a capacity of around 5,000. It is two-tiered with a row of executive boxes situated between its large lower tier and much smaller upper tier. Above the players tunnel and Director’s area in the centre of the stand is a clock that was taken from the old stand that this new one replaced.
On the opposite side is the Railway Stand which was opened in 1954. It is a fair-sized stand that is covered to the rear. It has a number of supporting pillars that run across the middle of the stand. Originally it had a large paddock terrace in front, but this was subsequently filled with seating in the 1990’s.
At one end is the Hamil Road End, which is a good-sized single-tiered stand. It also has an electric scoreboard situated just below its roof. Again it has a number of supporting pillars (although fewer in number than the Railway Stand), plus it has windshields to either side.
Opposite is the Bycars Road End, which although old looking was built in 1992. It also is partly covered to the rear and has some supporting pillars to either side.
Outside the Lorne Street Stand is a statue of former player and manager Roy Sproson.
Since 2023, the Bycars End has housed away supporters and has a capacity 3,363. The view and facilities located on the concourse are good and the acoustics are excellent so no excuse for not generating an atmosphere.
Due to the nature of the stadium, there are some parts of the stand that are classed as restricted view but that is par for the course on all non-modern stadiums.
Just outside the away turnstiles is a Club Bar called the ‘Vale Social’. Normally it does admit away fans but at a cost of £2 per person.
Pub options nearby include:
- The Sagger Makers – 31 Market Pl, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 3AG
- The Bulls Head – 14 St John’s Square, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 3AJ
- The Vine – 2 Hamil Rd, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 1AE
Food and drink is available on the concourses within the stand where away fans are located.
There are four stands at Vale Park – with the away supporters situated in the Bycars Stand. This can be accessed via Turnstiles 25-32. Next to the turnstiles is a bar called the ‘Vale Social’, which is popular for travelling fans.
Opposite is the Hamil Road Stand, which is accessed via Turnstiles 1-8. It has a home fanzone behind it. Overall, there are 36 turnstiles at Vale Park. The Main Stand is accessible via Turnstiles 33-36, which are adjacent to the hospitality and media entrances.
The ground is located in the town of Burslem, one of the six towns comprising Stoke On Trent. Leave the M6 at junction 15 or 16 and take the A500 towards Stoke on Trent. Follow A500 until the A527 Tunstall/Burslem exit, where you take the A527 towards Tunstall/Burslem.
At the next island just past the Price Kensington factory turn right for Burslem town centre. Continue on this road up the hill, crossing another island and into Burslem town centre. Continue straight on over the traffic lights at the crossroads and then take the first road on the left which takes you down to the ground.
The Hams Road Stand Car Park was previously offered to away supporters as a car park but as of 2023, this is exclusively a place to park for home fans. Away supporters are advised to park at Dimensions Leisure Centre (ST6 4ET) nearby.
Post Code for SAT NAV: ST6 1AW
Longport Railway Station is the closest to the Vale Park ground, but is a good 30 minute walk away and is not well served by trains, unlike Stoke On Trent station which is. Therefore most fans end up at Stoke On Trent railway station, which is over four miles away from Vale Park and then take a taxi up to the ground (around £10).
For fans wanting to stay overnight in reasonably priced accommodation, here are a couple of suggestions.
- DoubleTree by Hilton Stoke on Trent – Etruria Hall Festival Way, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5BQ England
- Premier Inn Stoke-on-trent (hanley) Hotel – Etruria Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5NH England
Port Vale ticket prices for the 2024/25 season:
- Adults (22-61) – £25-£26
- Over 62s: £20-21
- 18-21: £17-£18
- 13-17: £12-£13
- Under 12: Free-£2
Port Vale have called many places home over the years. They started off on Limekiln Lane and then moved to Westport Meadows. A few years later they were on the move again; the next stop on the Port Vale stadium tour was Burslem Athletic Ground. Waterloo Road was their first long term home as they stayed there for over a decade but then an even longer spell came at The Old Rex ground. They moved in during 1913 and stayed there until their move to Vale Park in 1950.
Vale Park had been in the works for six years. In the late eighties some improvements were made to aid disabled fans and, a decade later, more changes came in to convert the stadium to a fully seated arena.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the
Level Playing Field website.
Record Attendance
49,768 v Aston Villa
FA Cup 5th Round, 20th February 1960.
Modern All Seated Attendance Record
12,601 v Wolverhampton Wanderers
League One, 31st August 2013
Average Attendance
2022-2023: 7,681 (League One)
2021-2022: 5,959 (League Two)
2020-2021: N/A (Covid)
2019-2020: 4,862 (League Two)
2018-2019: 4,431 (League Two)
2017-2018: 4,583 (League Two)
Although seating has been installed onto the unfinished part of the lower tier, of the Lorne Street Stand, it is still unlikely that this area will be used for football matches, as it lacks any spectator facilities, such as turnstiles, a concourse, food/drink outlets, and toilets. The Port Vale Supporters Club have begun fundraising to raise £100,000 to have these works undertaken. If successful then the Club intends to use this area as a Family Section.
Ground Layout
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Port Vale v Tranmere Rovers
League 2
Saturday 19th February 2019, 7.45pm
Ben Castle (Tranmere Rovers)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?
I was looking forward to this game as another ground I can tick off my list and just going to watch my club.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I drove there and it took about an hour 20 minutes. There were no traffic or delays on the way.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I got some tea from a chippy called the 'Playful Pike' only a few minutes drive away from the stadium, after that, I just went straight into the ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?
Port Vale is a ground which looks old fashioned and modern, it was quite empty though although it has a capacity of nearly 20,000 it looked like there was only 3,000 there.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
There were tensions coming from both sets of fans and there was a strong Police presence in the away stand and around the stadium. We took the lead in the first 10 minutes then added a second early in the second. Port Vale got a goal back a few minutes later and had a goal disallowed and a header cleared off the line. However, we were able to hold onto the lead with near 850 Tranmere fans who were amazing the whole game home happy.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I just got in the car and got home around in around the same time again without any traffic or delays.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I enjoyed my evening out and will definitely come back again next season (if Port Vale stay up).
Port Vale v Swindon Town
League Two
Saturday 24th November 2018, 3pm
Harry (Swindon Town)
Port Vale v Lincoln City
League Two
Saturday 14th April 2018, 3pm
Julian Worsdale (Lincoln City fan)
Port Vale v Morecambe
League Two
Saturday 3rd February 2018, 3pm
Michael Weeks (Neutral fan)
Port Vale v Mansfield Town
Football League Two
Tuesday 21st November 2017, 7.45pm
Andrew Wood (Mansfield Town fan)
Port Vale v Mansfield Town
League Two
Tuesday 21st November 2017, 7.45pm
Jack Richardson (Mansfield Town fan)
Port Vale v Sheffield United
Football League 1
Friday 14th April 2017, 3pm
Felix McHugh (Sheffield United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?
The Blades were already promoted and closing in on becoming champions. It seemed too good an occasion to miss.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
It would have been easier if we hadn't needed to avoid Leek town centre, as there were some problems there with United fans in some of the pubs. We had to take a diversion but once we were in the vicinity of Burslem the Satnav found Vale Park for us very easily.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We didn't have enough time to do much but park up and get inside. The car park attendants and stewards were perfectly fine and friendly in spite of some dire rumours we had heard about some incidents before the game.
What you thoughts on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?
Vale Park is a very decent ground. The new stand will be good when it's finished. The old corner next to the Railway Stand looks incongruous but it would be a shame to remove it because it's a link with the ground's history.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
United scored after two minutes and won the game easily. Final score 3-0, but it was hard to concentrate because of the abysmal behaviour of a few Blades fans fighting among themselves and looking for trouble with the Vale supporters, who weren't exactly angels themselves either.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
A doddle really. There was a huge Police presence but they allowed us to walk past them. Some Vale fans were adopting an aggressive pose but they too let us walk through them with no bother and we were on the road again in the blink of an eye.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out spoiled, really. Vale are in deep relegation trouble and the Blades cantering to the title so the game itself was a mismatch, but the crowd problems took all the enjoyment out of it, sadly.
Port Vale v MK Dons
Football League One
Saturday 25th March 2017, 3pm
David Drysdale (MK Dons fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?
Vale Park was a new ground for me to visit. Although I wasn't particularly looking forward to the match or stadium itself, but the weather was good.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Vale Park is straightforward to find, being fairly central to town. Very conveniently there is an away allocated car park directly next to the away end entrance. There are also plenty of other car parks adjacent to the stadium. Parking fee was £5.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We parked up and headed into Burslem. We had heard that the Bull's Head pub was a good option as it is both home and away supporter friendly, offers a decent selection of beverages and offers a barbecue. After a ten minute walk from the stadium we enjoyed a burger and a pint before heading back. Home fans were no problem at all.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?
Vale Park is a basic stadium with not much to offer. The away end was small-ish. The stadium felt like a League Two or even non-league level stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a very dull affair with lots of injury stoppages and not much quality shown from either side, with MK Dons edging possession. The game finished 0-0 and couldn't have ended soon enough. Atmosphere was non-existent, with a crowd of under 4,000 and a very quiet home support. Service was efficient in the away end, the usual pies, drinks etc..on offer.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We got out of the car park fairly quickly, but there was lots of match traffic heading out of Burslem. Took us half an hour to get out of town before getting back on the M6.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Decent weather and Burslem is a pleasant little town with some good pubs. Enjoyed pre-match activities, but the game itself was forgettable and the stadium/atmosphere left a lot to be desired.
Port Vale v Swindon Town
Football League One
Saturday 11th March 2017, 3pm
Shirley Lawrence (Swindon Town fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?
I took my grandson to this match, Port Vale was a team that my mum had supported for a long time. I always go when Swindon plays there. We also needed to win the game.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We travelled on the supporters coach so it was easy getting there.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went and had a drink in their supporters club and we mixed with home supporters everyone was very friendly. Got chatting with a couple and exchanged our views on the positions we were in in the table.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?
We never went around the stadium only by the away stand.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was very frantic in the first half. the stewards were very friendly and treated us very well. My grandson wanted a sausage roll before game started so we went to get one but there was none left. The lady at the counter said she would get us some for half time. True to her word she got us our sausage rolls they were hot and enjoyable.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Police escort away fro m the ground, a little traffic but that was expected.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Apart from the result it was a good day out.
Port Vale v Bradford City
Football League One
Saturday 25th February 2017, 3pm
Charlie (Bradford City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?
I had been meaning to visit Vale Park for the past few seasons now but never quite got around to doing it for some reason. It was a new ground for me so another to tick off the list. We were desperate for three points and with Port Vale being in the relegation zone it had all the makings of a good away day.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We set off on a supporters coach at 10am, arriving at Vale Park for 2:15pm (with just under two hours spent in a pub on the way!). The Port Vale stewards/police seemed very unorganised and didn't look to have a clue where to ask us to park!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We stopped at a pub in Winsford for a few pre match drinks and a bite to eat. We spent just under two hours there and arrived at Vale Park with plenty of time to spare before kick off. Once we got off the coach we headed straight into the ground as the surrounding areas didn't seem like the most entertaining places to take a pre match stroll.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?
I found it quite hard to believe that Vale Park has a capacity of almost 19,000, for some reason the whole stadium looked a lot smaller than I expected. The away end is of a decent size and a good noise level can be generated. However if you're more on the tall side and sit in the middle near the back you may find yourself ducking to see the whole goal at the other end of the field with the large scoreboard dropping down below the away end roof. Despite that, the view from the away end is impressive.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was one where luck was finally on our side! We took the lead through Vincelot in the first half and we should've been more than one up at half time in honesty. As usual, we were punished for not taking our chances and Port Vale equalised early in the second half. The City fans really got behind the team as we knew this was a must win game, and a very winnable one at that too. We began to dominate and in the 75th minute we deservedly took the lead again through ex-Vale player Alex Jones. His celebration was brilliant, straight down to the advertisement boards where he was mobbed by players and fans alike. With Jones being Port Vale's goalscoring hero a couple of months earlier his celebration caused a lot of anger from Port Vale fans, which I couldn't understand considering they booed him before he'd even kicked a ball! We held out for the win and left the stadium very very happy with the result.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There seemed to be a slight hold up getting all of the away coaches out of the car park. The journey home was nice and easy and we arrived back in Bradford for around 7pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall I very much enjoyed my first visit to Vale Park and would certainly go again if we happen to be in the same league next year. I would possibly try sit more towards t he middle of the stand rather than the back as it can be frustrating having to move around just to see the opposite goal. Other than that a brilliant away day with good facilities and a fantastic result.
Port Vale v Oxford United
Football League One
Saturday 22nd October 2016, 3pm
Rob Pickett (Oxford United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?
I'd never been to Port Vale, despite its relative proximity to Sheffield (I'm an exile). So on a pleasant autumn day I was looking forward to the visit.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I had to cross the Peak District and whilst it is only 46 miles door-to-ground, it took 1 hour 50 mins. Ground is easy to find if you know the Stoke area and I availed myself of parking at Vale Park itself at a cost of £5, which was convenient and safe.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As with other reviewers, I headed into the nearby town centre and met friends at the Bulls Head pub. This pub which is owned by the Titanic Brewery is a great pub with great real ale and a good atmosphere. They were also cooking burgers on a grill outside. It is only around a ten minute walk away from Vale Park and highly recommended.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?
I was quite impressed with Vale Park. Good views and well laid out. Part of the ground's seating needs completing, but all in all a well laid out stadium. There was a social club outside the ground and away fans could enter for £2 if you didn't want to walk into town.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.
An excellent game. Oxford dominated the first half going 2-0 up. Second half belonged to Vale, mostly and 2-2 was the final score. But the result could have gone either way. I'll take the draw.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Slight delay in exiting the stadium car park, but that was only 10 minutes and I was then homeward bound. No problems really.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I really enjoyed my visit to Port Vale and would suggest going to any away fan whose team is playing them this season.
Port Vale v Rochdale
Football League One
Saturday 23rd April 2016, 3pm
Andy Turner (Doing the 92)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?
I was staying with my family in Rochdale and managed to get a lift to Vale Park £5 with my cousin so it was a no brainer to get it ticked off my list.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey from Rochdale to Port Vale took just over a hour with a bit of traffic on the M6. We got to the ground at 1:30pm and parked in the club car park for £5 which was great!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went into the Port Vale Club Shop and purchased a club pin badge for £2.50 which is lower than average in price! Although I wasn't too impressed that they were charging £2 to gain entry to their social club! I instead made my way into the ground at 2pm.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?
I was sat in the away end where I enjoyed a fantastic view of the ground. There were no obstructions in the way at all. It was interesting to note that the seats in the stand on the opposite side to us, were faded and discoloured. But I liked it as it showed the character and age of the stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a fantastic game with two penalties to Port Vale and a screamer from Rochdale. I did get to hear the song "Glad all over" four times from the home fan which is quite catchy!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was no problem. We made our way back to the car in a matter of minutes. Although joining back on the M6 was a bit slow with the narrow roads out of Burslem.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great day out and entertaining game. Vale Park is one of my favourite groundhops that I've done so far!
Port Vale v Millwall
League One
Tuesday 15th September 2015, 7.45pm
Andy (Millwall fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Vale Park?
Vale Park is relatively local to me and after a good away win a few days earlier it seemed we had finally turned our poor early form around.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I drove and had no problem finding the ground using sat nav but be warned, Port Vale must be the only ground I have ever been to where there are no signposts anywhere to assist. I parked in the supermarket car park (£5) which is only a short walk away from the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Bought a ticket at the ticket office next to the away end. Locals seemed friendly enough although the crowd was very low.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
I had last been to Port Vale about 16 years ago and it hasn't changed. Its an old style ground which is still yet to be completed. The away section is large enough for around 4000 fans and some views will be obstructed by the pillars that run towards the front. I would advise sitting towards the back for a decent view and if you're going to a night game you will have to put up with the useless floodlights!
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
There was very little atmosphere generated from the home fans except for a small section to the left of the away end. The game ended 2-0 to Millwall and could have been six as we put on easily our best performance of the season. The away end enables the visitors to generate a decent noise even if there is a low number in attendance. The meat and potato pie was one of the best I have sampled (£2.50) and the stewards were very friendly and up for a laugh.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was easy enough. There was a bit of traffic but once on the main roads it was clear.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall Port Vale is an okay away day. The ground is old but is much better than many of the new stadiums that all look the same. Tickets are available on the day (£22).
Port Vale v Fleetwood Town
Bet League One
Sunday 3rd May 2015, 12.15pm
Matthew Bowling (Fleetwood Town fan)
Why you were looking forward to going to Vale Park?
It was the final game of the season and a new ground for me to visit.
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How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Because I was on the supporters coach it was quite easy finding Vale Park. The coach parked on the car park just outside the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We arrived at Vale Park at around 10am so we went into the club bar on the car park which was good despite having to pay to get in. Both home and away fans were in the bar with no problems at all.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
I didn't think much when I first saw the ground, as you can't see much of it from outside. As I entered the concourse, I felt that it had an older feeling about it.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was great for us because we won the game 2-1, we scored twice is six minutes early in the first half which gave us a comfortable cushion which we kept until half time. It was a very 50-50 half with minimal chances, Vale answered with a goal in stoppage time but overall we deserved all three points. The stewards are friendly and helpful.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We got on to the coach no problem, and were given a Police escort onto the dual carriageway, so it felt safe and got us away quickly.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I was impressed with the day out, the friendliness of the staff was impressive. Overall, I was very happy with the performance from Fleetwood and just the general day out.
Port Vale v Grimsby Town
Saturday November 12th, 2011, 3pm
FA Cup 1st Round
Duanne Mitchell (Grimsby Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to going to Vale Park as it is one of a few grounds that I hadn't visited yet, plus the reviews that I read on the website, were good.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As we came on the supporters coach then it was fairly straight forward. However on nearing Vale Park, the clutch on the coach broke as we were struggling to get up a nearby hill. So our coach was replaced whilst we were watching the match.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We arrived a couple of hours prior to kick off, so we first bought our tickets from the very friendly staff in the ticket booth. As we didn't feel like looking further afield for a pub we made our way into a bar called Tommys which was situated in the away end car park. This place was very friendly. We got our drinks and made our way over to a family of Port Vale fans, with whom we shared some banter and had a game of table football.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
My first thoughts on seeing the ground were okay from the outside, although there is not a lot that you can see. From inside the away end I thought it was pleasing. We were in easily the best stand although the size of it made it seem an age to get from top to bottom. The other stands looked okay, although one stand to our right looked half finished as a number of seating blocks were missing. On the whole a good looking ground even though is was a bit of a mish mash.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game was actually quite open and an end to end game. We nearly scored in the first minute and really should have been in the lead by half time. The atmosphere from the Vale fans was almost non existant as we out sang them the entire match. Second half started much as the first half ended. Then in the final 15 minutes Port Vale finally put on the pressure and bombarded our defence, but we stood firm and held out for a 0-0 draw. This was more like a win to us, as with the difference in divisions most expected Port Vale to win the match.
The stewards at the turnstiles did refuse to let in the supporters drum, which didn't go down too well. There were a couple of stewards that looked like they didn't want to be there otherwise they were okay. As I did not decide to buy any food, I cannot comment but did notice that the prices were a bit steep. I did however buy a couple of 500ml bottles of lager which cost 3.10 each, which was to be expected. Toilets were not very clean but were big. Just bog standard toilets (pardon the pun) for a football ground.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There was about a half hour slow journey getting away from the ground but once about a mile clear is was plain sailing all the way home.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall a good day out and would definitely visit again. The only draw back was that the drum was not permitted. Just one more thing that may be of interest to some fans you may want to take a camera, as you literally pass the Britannia Stadium on the way in although this may not apply to fans coming from down from the North.
Port Vale v Bury
Saturday March 26th, 2011, 1pm
League Two
Myles Munsey (Neutral supporter)
Reasons for visit:
Having visited pretty much all of the grounds in the South, I was targeting the Midlands and Potteries to add to my list. The 1pm kick-off due to the Wales v England World Cup qualifier suited me well as it meant a sociable hour arriving home. I live in Berkshire! The two participating teams were in or around the play-off positions so this looked like being a good encounter.
Getting there:
The ground was easy to find, more so having studied this website and Google maps. It is an easy walk from Longport station and whilst there is a hill this hardly constitutes a slog.
Before the game:
There wasn't a great deal of time so I had a snack in a local cafe and then strolled up to Vale Park to take some pictures and have a quick look at the club shop. This I have to say was superb. Well laid out, spacious and well-stocked and equipped with a couple of comfy leatherette armchairs. Not encountered that before!
First impressions:
I have to say the ground looks odd, both inside and out. Perhaps I had formed a wrong impression, but others who have been before, implied that was an historic ground with character. Unfortunately it does seem that a lot of that character has been lost. The ticket booths and stairways are indeed from a bygone age but these rather jarr with the modern aspects of the stadium. The arrangements were fine and the seats were comfortable enough with a very good view of the action. The pitch was narrowed by Mickey Adams to be as narrow as regulations allow, so I am told, meaning that you can see the full length of the lines (good). However, I just could not come to terms with Vale Park. Development here has obviously been phased and to that end I am sympathetic, as cash flow is always a problem. But here I feel the blend of old and new simply does not work. For example:-
As the ground layout diagram suggests the Big AM end of the ground has angular portions that are at 45 degrees to everything else.
Another oddity I observed is that the seats are coloured to replicate the colours on the club badge -i.e Yellow ochre, black and blue (blue in the corners only) rather than the colours of the playing strip which would be black and white. I'm not sure if this is unique. It is certainly unusual.
The game:
The game itself was entertaining with Port Vale dominating yet unable to find the net. It finished 0-0. Recent managerial changes were no doubt a factor and though they huffed and puffed with no little skill, hitting the frame of the goal three times, it was evidently a very frustrating afternoon for them as it was for the crowd who were quite demonstrative at times. Bury were pretty subdued as was Ryan Lowe. Port Vale definitely bossed the game so Bury wouuld have been happy to have come away with a point. I have seen far worse goalless draws shall we say. Interruptions to play were kept lively by the Port Vale mascot 'Boomer the dog who kept us much amused with his daft antics.
Getting from the ground:
Getting away was easy. I simply retraced my steps. I left the ground at 14.55 and was back at Longport Station at 15.15. It is an easy 20 minute walk. Those who take 30 minutes must have visited some establishments en route!
Overall:
I have no wish to denigrate Vale Park ,and a vist is well recommended, but it steers a halfway house between the traditional ground and the modern stadium. A good day out and easy to get to and from. A well organised ground with good facilities but lacking that certain something. 'Wembley of the North?' Not really I'm afraid.
Port Vale v Gillingham
League Two
Saturday October 16th, 2010, 3pm
Matt Harris (Gillingham fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Its always exciting going to somewhere new for the first time and Vale Park was no exception. Having seen the pictures online my expectations of the ground were high as it does look quite big and impressive, especially for a League Two side.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking:
We left Paddock Wood railway station at 7.20am and got to London Euston at around 8.50. We were hoping to get on a 9.20 train to Stoke on Trent but we hadn't realised that we were not allowed to travel until after 9.45 as were the restrictions on our advance booking train tickets. This was very annoying as we had to hang around for an hour and to make things worse we were only allowed to travel on a slow train which ate up most of drinking time for before the game, luckily there was an off licence at the station so we got some cans for on the train! Once we got to Stoke we grabbed a taxi to the ground which only took around 10 minutes and cost roughly £12 for 5 of us.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We went to the social club right next to the ground. It was really good, a nice friendly atmosphere between both sets of fans. Its great to be able to talk and get the opinions of the oppositions fan before the match.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
My first impressions were good, the turnstiles were right outside the social club so we fell straight in upon leaving there. The stadium itself inside seemed quite roomy, but not much height to it. It does look a bit odd with half the Main Stand having seats missing but apart from that the ground is very nicely presented. We chose to sit at the back of the stand, we like to stand and sing at most away games but the problem with the away stand at port vale was the scoreboard hanging from the roof, we could only just see the goal line at the other side of the ground so we found ourselves hunched over trying to see what was going on when there was a goal scoring chance.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The atmosphere was fantastic as it always is with the Gillingham away support (despite not winning away for over 30 games!), we took 288 fans and sang constantly throughout, the stand was perfect for amplifying the chanting. We were a little disappointed how quiet the Port Vale fans were though! The match was great, we dominated 90% of it and were very unlucky not to come away with that illusive away win! I didn't have any food or drink but though the toilets were good, large enough to accommodate a much bigger ground, and clean and fresh. The stewards were okay, I don't think anything really happened to call them into action, we're usually pretty well behaved fans!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We jumped straight into a pre-booked taxi and got to the station in around 15/20 mins with the extra traffic around.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Apart from the mix up with the trains on the way there it was a really good day out, we did feel we should have come away with 3 points but at least we didn't get beat 7-4 like 2 weeks before!! The stadium was nice and the Vale fans warm and friendly. Will look forward to going back there one day, hopefully in League One or above though!