A supporter's view of things Port Vale
This week the main focus in football has been on an international basis, with the euphoria regarding England’s qualification for the World Cup Finals in Brazil. What has that got to do with the Vale?
Well, it has made football more popular again, and being a football club ourselves that can only be good news. Income will come into the game as a whole from the tournament, and sponsors will be keen to get more involved even at our level and below. It also gets people interested in the game who may not have been before, and some will start to watch a game at their local ground.
I first became interested in football by watching the 1966 finals on the TV. Okay, it’s bound to help when you win the thing, but it had nowhere near the hype it would create nowadays. I was hooked though and wanted to see games live and Vale, being just down the road, got my support.
I remember the following day after the final it was just a side article in some newspapers whereas today it would be on every page for weeks and the players would all be knighted and given their own kingdom within half an hour of the final whistle!
It can be good for the Vale in other ways, by selling souvenirs and screening the games next summer in the Valiants Suite and Tommy Cheadle’s. There is hay to be made whilst the sun shines!
Phil Sherwin