Sunday 17 September 2000
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| 12:00-15:00 |
| Football League: Port Vale Vs Stoke City - Live |
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There will be tension in Stoke-on-Trent as the two big local teams take each other on in the Nationwide Second Division. Introduced by Marcus Buckland, with commentary by Rob Hawthorne and Brian Marwood.
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| 12:00-15:00 |
| Interactive Football: Port Vale Vs Stoke City - Live |
|
There will be tension in Stoke-on-Trent as the two big local teams take each other on in the Nationwide Second Division. Introduced by Marcus Buckland, with commentary by Rob Hawthorne and Brian Marwood.
|
Port Vale v
Stoke City: Sunday
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Brian Horton
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Vale have not lost
at home to arch rivals Stoke since 1993 but they haven't won against them for
four years - so back the draw as the most likely outcome, especially as this
series normally produces a tight game - the last ten of these derbies have averaged
1.5 goals per game.
The Vale Park leg
of the Potteries derby ended goalless in 98 - the last time these two sides
met - and 1-1 in 96. Vale won't settle for a draw, but after a poor start to
their post-relegation season a point would be welcome. These two are seperated
by four points and nine places, and City are probably the better team, and cerainly
the form side going into this game.
Vale were thrashed
4-0 at Cambridge on Tuesday while Stoke crushed Oxford 4-0 at home on Wednesday.
Gudjon Thordarson's side could go fourth if win at Vale Park and results elsewhere
go in their favour. Defeat for Vale could see them sink to the bottom four.
They have won only twice this term and were appalling at Cambridge which is
the last thing Brian Horton needed prior to his first Potteries derby. The Vale
manager was positively fuming after his side were ripped apart and apologised
to the hardy band of Vale fans who used precious fuel reserves to make the trek
to Cambridge. Vale's biggest defeat of the season was already on the cards by
the time Jeff Minton was given his marching orders after 56 minutes.
Former Vale manager
John Rudge, meanwhile, turned up the heat this week by angrily accused his old
club of trying to generate ill-feeling against him ahead of Sunday's derby.
He alleges details of his tribunal victory have been leaked in an attempt to
turn fans against him when he returns to Vale Park. Rudge, now director of football
at Stoke, returns to Vale on Sunday for the first time in an official capacity
since his controversial sacking in January 1999.
Sportlist
prediction: Port Vale 1-1 Stoke City
Previous meetings:
01-03-1998;
English Division 1
Port Vale 0-0 Stoke City
12-10-1997;
English Division 1
Stoke City 2-1 Port Vale
20-04-1997;
English Division 1
Stoke City 2-0 Port Vale
13-10-1996;
English Division 1
Port Vale 1-1 Stoke City
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