Old boys pose a threat as City search for double delight

IT’S not quite a case of the threat of the old boy curse tonight but it’s not far off as Port Vale travel to Coventry City looking for their third win in four games to lift themselves out of the relegation zone.

And the man who has been instrumental in a sudden upturn in fortunes is former Manchester United winger Chris Eagles who is enjoying return to form with the club owned by life-long Sky Blues fan Norman Smurthwaite.

The 31-year-old, City fans may recall, trained at Ryton for a spell under Tony Mowbray in October 2015 at the height of the former manager’s success at the Ricoh Arena, with a view to signing for the club.

However, Eagles failed to turn up to training one Monday morning, with Mowbray telling a pre-match press conference: “Someone told me he signed for Bury.”

That didn’t go too smoothly for the skilful wide man who made just one start for the Shakers before being released the following summer and signing for Accrington Stanley.

Again, things didn’t work out and after making just two League Two starts for the club he left in January and joined Vale, where he finally appears to have rediscovered his touch.

“He’s done quite well since coming in and got fitter as he’s gone along and looked pretty good,” says Mike Baggaley, of the Stoke Sentinel.

There is another former City player in the camp who has used his experience to help lift Vale since joining in the January window, Danny Pugh. Another ex-Man United product, the 34-year-old midfielder might be available to return after injury for the trip to the Ricoh where his season amounted to just seven games in 2014.

City could achieve their first double of the season – after recording their one and only win on the road at Vale Park in October – while Vale go in search of only their second win on the road this term.