Foes reunited: Pompey to meet promoted Valiants for first time in 22 years
IT HAS been more than 22 years, but finally Pompey fans will be reacquainting themselves with once-familiar foes.
Port Vale’s 3-0 triumph over Mansfield in the League Two play-off final at Wembley on Saturday earned them promotion to League One, joining Forest Green, Exeter and Bristol Rovers in making the step up.
In the case of the Valiants, they have not occupied the same division as Pompey since 1999-2000.
Blues followers haven’t visited Vale Park since April 2000, when the hosts ran out 2-0 winners over a Pompey side who had Dave Waterman and Adrian Whitbread sent off.
Port Vale ended up relegated to Division Two that season and since that point they have never faced the Blues in any competition.
Despite Pompey’s occupation of the bottom two divisions following relegation from the Championship a decade ago, both clubs have somehow avoided each other.
Yet until 1999-2000, they had competed in the same league for nine out of 11 campaigns, all arriving in the old Division Two/First Division.
During that period the Blues won 4-0 at Fratton Park in February 1999, with a Guy Whittingham hat-trick and Alan McLoughlin penalty inspiring a thumping triumph.
There was a 1-0 defeat at Vale Park in March 1995 when Jimmy Glass, in for the dropped Alan Knight, dived over Joe Allon’s effort.
While many Pompey fans will be visiting Port Vale for the first time next term, there will also be a new ground to experience in the form of Forest Green.
The New Lawn Stadium, which is based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, opened in July 2006 and has a 5,147 capacity. The clubs have never met before.
Forest Green won League Two this season, with former Pompey keeper Luke McGee in their team, while their director of football Richard Hughes turned down a Fratton Park job earlier this month.
Danny Cowley’s side will discover their schedule on Thursday, June 23, when the League One fixtures are released.
Pompey return for preseason training on June 20, with their League One campaign kicking off on July 30.