Martin Paterson Previews Stevenage

Martin Paterson Previews Stevenage

The FA Cup begins this weekend and Port Vale start off their journey by hosting Stevenage at Vale Park this Saturday.

Vale have only played the League Two side six times in competitive games, the last time being in March 2014 which ended 1-1 after Tom Pope struck the Valiants ahead.

But the FA Cup is a competition that many players hold close to their hearts as it is a chance for them to win major silverware throughout the season and this season will be no different.

Striker, Martin Paterson, will be glad to be back in the side for Saturday’s game as he has been out with an injury since mid-October and has been resting up for this fixture for weeks.

Paterson came off during the Charlton Athletic draw three weeks ago and has missed the Oxford United game the week after.

The 29-year-old did make it onto the bench for the Bolton Wanderers loss last week but he didn’t want to risk getting any further injuries.

He said: “I’m good and fully fit.

“It was a cautionary thing with my calf getting really tight in the Charlton game and I wasn’t moving how I wanted to move.

“I held my hand up and said I need to come off here just to make sure there is no injury and rest it up and go again.”