With the Vale's final match of the decade just over 24 hours away, we look back at some classic matches against tomorrow's opponents, Swindon Town.
Division Two, Vale Park, Monday 28th August 2000: Port Vale 3-0 Swindon Town
The Vale had been relegated from the Championship the previous campaign, and this fixture against Swindon was their third game into the new season with the Valiants looking to get off to a good start. Tony Naylor opened the scoring for the Vale after 27 minutes in this one, and in a half that the Valiants dominated, Finnish international Ville Vilijanen went close to adding to the Vale’s lead.
The home side went into the interval one goal to the good, yet ten minutes into the second half, midfielder Alex Smith doubled the Vale lead and they never looked back after that. Just as the scoreline looked to finish 2-0, Naylor then popped up with his second of the match to seal a convincing 3-0 win for the Vale.
Port Vale – Goodlad, Cummins, Burton (Burns 65), Carragher, Tankard, Twiss, Smith, Widdrington, Minton, Naylor, Viljanen
Subs not used – Brammer, O’Callaghan, Eyre, Delaney
Swindon T – Griemink, Davis, Robinson, Willis, Reeves, O’Halloran (Williams 77), Howe, Hewlett, Duke, Cowe, Griffin (Grazioli 64)
Att. 3,926
League One, Vale Park, Tuesday 2nd February 2016: Port Vale 1-0 Swindon Town
The Vale began this one in mid-table in League One, and got off the perfect start when Carl Dickinson got on the end of a Louis Dodds cross to head home, putting Rob Page’s men ahead after just six minutes. Dodds nearly found the net himself just after, yet saw his fine effort rebound off the post. Swindon nearly replied shortly before the interval but Jak Alnwick produced a fine save to deny Jonathan Obika.
Both sides had chances after the break, Matthew Kennedy who was on loan from Cardiff went close for the Vale and Obika once again went close for the away side but Alnwick was there to produce another fine stop. Page’s men continued to press in the second-half and JJ Hooper was also denied by Swindon’s Lawrence Vigouroux. Alnwick proved to be the hero once again late on as he saved a Fabien Robert effort that ultimately clinched the three points for the Vale. This win lifted the Valiants up to 8th place in League One.
Port Vale – Alnwick, Purkiss, Duffy, Inniss, Dickinson, (Dodds (Moore 71), Grant, Foley, Kennedy (Kelly 71). Robinson (Hooper 62), Leitch-Smith
Subs not used – Streete, Yates, Brown, Boot
Swindon T – Vigouroux, Thompson, Ormonde-Ottewill, Barry, Robert, Kasim, Doughty, Balmy (Marshall 62), Hylton (Young 62), Rodgers, Obika
Subs not used – Belford, Brophy, Cooke Iandolo
Att. 3,256