It's been a memorable road to this season's Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Finals for the Valiants, with World Club Champions Chelsea the next hurdle for Jon Brady's side to face this weekend.
Our journey in the 2025/26 competition began back in November 2025 in the First Round, at home to non-League Maldon and Tiptree. The sides were separated by just shy of 100 places in the English football pyramid going into kick-off, but it was the visitors who took a shock sixth-minute lead.
Four goals in seven first-half minutes quickly put to bed any fears of an upset, as the Valiants ran out eventual 5-1 winners, with George Hall scoring his first goal for the club.
Remarkably, that early setback against the Isthmian League North outfit remains the only goal we have conceded en route to the Quarter-Finals, with Vale winning by a 1-0 scoreline in the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth rounds respectively - including against Premier League and Sky Bet Championship opposition!
Vale saw off League Two side Bristol Rovers - and former manager Darrell Clarke - in the Second Round, thanks to a goal from New Zealand international striker, Ben Waine. Little did we know at that stage what was to follow for our number 19!
It was back to Vale Park in the Third Round, with another League Two side - Fleetwood Town - the visitors, as Brady took charge of the Valiants for the very first time. A goal on the stroke of half-time from Jordan Shipley ensured it would be a winning start for the Australian.
On to the Fourth Round, then, and another big home time, with second-tier Bristol City looking a tough draw on paper in early March following an initial postponement. Vale, though, stood up to the challenge and deservedly took the Robins to extra-time, and it was there that Waine's FA Cup storied continued, with his well-taken 112th-minute winner proving decisive.
It was a win that set up a huge Fifth Round tie with Sunderland AFC in Burslem just days later. Could Brady's men go again after the monumental effort in midweek? You bet they could.
Vale had to survive one or two scares - Eliezer Mayenda's header coming back off the base of the post being one of them - but put in another display which wholly warranted our progression in the Cup. Waine would become the hero once again, heading the ball beyond the Sunderland keeper to score the only goal of the tie and send us into the Quarter-Finals. His Shearer-inspired celebration in front of the away end will live long in the memory.
And so, onto Stamford Bridge, and our first FA Cup Quarter-Final in 72 years. Wearing the kit inspired by our FA Cup Semi-Final heroes of 1953/54, we'll be looking to emulate that famous side on Saturday evening, backed by no fewer than 6,000 supporters in the Shed End.
The odds might be against us, but it's not the first time we've said that this season. On the day, you just never know...
