‘As a dad, my dream has been to take my son to watch Vale at Wembley’
PORT Vale fans are still on Cloud Nine after their team reached Wembley with a dramatic play-off semi-final win over Swindon.
The Vale got through 6-5 on penalties after James Wilson’s early goal had levelled the tie 2-2 on aggregate.
Over to supporters for their say as the club looks forward to Wembley in their first play-off appearance for 29 years...
Scott Lingard: Got to be one of the proudest moments of being a Vale fan. As a dad, my dream has been to take my son to see our beloved team to walk out at Wembley. My dream is coming true.
It was always going to be a tense affair, but when Wilson netted early on, it looked like we were going to coast through.
For all the pundits who gave up on us and backed Swindon, well I hope you all see what a good team we are now. We dominated the first half and should have been home and dry at half-time. In the second half, the visitors upped their game, but Vale were still the better side.
It seemed inevitable that we were going to drag this season out for as long as possible, and through extra time we all dreamed of one more chance. It didn’t come, so on to penalties. If there are football gods who dish out the football karma, they must love us. If you wanted one man to miss it was Harry Mckirdy, who blazed over the bar.
That was the break we needed, after being two down in the shoot-out. When Mal Benning slotted it home to put us 6-5 up I had everything crossed. Another miss and our season continues.
This is why you have to believe this is the best squad we have all probably ever seen at Vale Park. Whatever happens next week, this season has been immense, and one we will all never forget. Craig Davies: Wow, what a game and fixture. Vale were superb and left absolutely everything on the pitch.
Swindon hardly got a punch away and we were so dominant in the first half it could have been done and dusted in the first 45.
There were some colossal performances but for Wilson to put that sort of performance in when clearly injured was immense. Nights and seasons like this don’t come around often. One more round!
Craig Royall: When you talk about leaving it all out there, that’s exactly what the Vale did. To a man they gave everything, and realistically we could have been two or three up by halftime.
But in true Vale fashion they just had to make it hard for us all didn’t they.
A fantastic atmosphere in the ground, the best since we were last promoted and every single player deserves a man of the match award, especially those who stuck a penalty in. On to Wembley Vale, one more round. Carl Ziemann: That’s how a big job is done... finally! I’ve questioned the character of the squad because they always seem to stumble when the big job is required…..not tonight though.
From the keeper through to the tea lady…they gave everything tonight, not one complaint from me on that score.
Man of the match could have literally been any player. Smith and Hall were absolute rocks and had Mckirdy in their pockets all night. Willo ran himself into the ground and Benning, who I’ve been critical of, had probably the best game I’ve seen him have with his driving runs. But the biggest mention has to go to Aidan Stone in goal…..you beauty with those saves! Finally a big job done now lets finish it at Wembley!
Brian Lewis: Fantastic night, fantastic performance, fantastic result and Oh Harry Mckirdy! Lynn Potter: They threw everything at it, including the kitchen sink. Every one of them wanted it, and they made sure they got it.
Even if we had lost, we would
still have been proud. A new team at the start of the season, new players in January, lots of injuries and no manager, but somehow they’ve pulled together and battled through, and we are off to Wem-ber-ley.
Rob Rhead: I’m writing this from my seat in the Railway Stand. I don’t want to leave. There are still quite a few fans still on the pitch singing “Wemberley, Wemberley” as they celebrate a fantastic victory over Swindon which seemed unlikely after we missed two penalties.
Then came the highlight of the season as a certain player, who shall not be named, blazed his penalty over the bar to give us hope and from that point we never looked back.
It’s now 11 o’clock, Carol has said a few words and the management team have made an appearance.
Time to set off into the night and to bed, per chance to dream of one more victory.
Darren Hambleton: Grew up watching the Vale home and away. Still watch them when I can.
Lived in Yorkshire now for 20 years and adopted Huddersfield Town FC through my in-laws. Dilemma is now, how do I go to two finals when I’m driving Town family down Sunday morning for that final? What a season I’ve had with both teams though. Wow!