Stranded fans got lift home they’ll never forget
Group returned on coach full of Vale players’ families
PORT Vale fans who feared they were stranded in London after missing their coach following the play-off triumph ended up enjoying an unforgettable journey home.
And Gavin Burgess has paid tribute to the club after the party – which included his 11-year-old son and two pals – were taken back to North Staffordshire with the players’ friends and family.
Gavin, of Leek, had made the trip to the capital with son Archie and friends Neil and Matt Chamberlain.
But after getting caught up in congestion near to Wembley the fans missed out on the experience of being on Wembley Way.
So after watching Darrell Clarke’s men book their return to League One after putting three past Mansfield Town, the group thought they would have a look at those sights. But after one wrong-turn and they had missed their coach.
Gavin, aged 44, said: “We got there about half-an-hour before and so didn’t manage to go on Wembley Way and things like that.
“After the game the atmosphere was just brilliant and so I suggested going down to Wembley Way so Archie could see it all. We got caught up in it all and took a wrong turn as the directions took us way off where we needed to be.
“We got to the car park but must have only just missed the coach and I thought we were stranded.
“I run Dig Deep Education and do some work with the club. I then saw Sue Potts who works for Vale and she asked if I was okay and I told her what had happened.”
Gavin says at that point Sue assured him ‘we’ll get you home.’ The next thing the party was invited onto a coach – which was carrying friends and family of the Port Vale squad.
Gavin, whose party also managed a photo with John Rudge and former striker Lee Hughes after the game, said: “We made our way to our seats and ended up sitting with Tom Conlon’s family. Archie idolises Tom and his bedroom is covered in Port Vale stuff.
“Everyone was amazing and so welcoming we couldn’t believe it. We went from thinking we were stranded to being taken home with the players’ friends and family.”
Gavin, who was born on Lorne Street, has thanked Sue and the club. He added: “It shows what kind of club Port Vale, we are now such a different club to what we were.”