Port Vale

Port Vale is one of the few instances of a football club being named after a place that doesn't exist (Swindon Town is another), with the club actually located in Burslem, one of the five towns that comprise the Potteries, also known as Stoke-on-Trent to those who have escaped the 19th Century. As such, Port Vale share the city with Dean Whitehead's Stoke City, under whose shadow they have long laboured.

The club took its name from the house where it was formed, which was actually in Stoke, in 1876. They played initially in the Midland League. When the club relocated from Stoke to Burslem they changed their name to Burslem Port Vale, and in 1892 they were a founder member of Division Two of the Football League. The Valiants lasted just four seasons before they failed to be re-elected and they had to join the Midland League again, but two years later, in 1898, they were elected back into the fold.

In 1907 financial problems forced Vale to resign from the League and the club dropped the prefix Burslem as a ground move took them out of the district to Hanley. The club spent eight seasons in the Central League before replacing the disgraced Leeds City in October 1919, taking over the expelled club's fixtures. Vale were relegated in 1929, but won the Third Division North title at the first attempt, although they were relegated more permanently in 1938, after which they flitted between Third Divisions North and South due to their central geographical location.

Port Vale moved to Vale Park in 1950 and four years later they were crowned Division Three North champions and reached the semi-final of the FA Cup. In 1957 they were back in the Third, and the following season they found themselves in the newly created Division Four, which they won at the first attempt. They were back in the basement in 1965 and had to seek re-election in 1968. Two years later they were promoted to Division Three, where they survived for seven years before finding themselves back in the Fourth. The yo-yoing continued with promotion in 1983 followed by relegation the following season, followed by another promotion in 1986.

The upward momentum was briefly retained in 1989 as the club finished third in the Third and proceeded to beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 in the two-legged play-off final to earn promotion to Division Two. However, 1992 saw Vale relegated again, and the following season they were beaten 3-0 by West Bromwich Albion in the Wembley play-off final after finishing in third place. The Valiants had played at Wembley the previous weekend as well, beating Stockport County 2-1 in the final of the Autoglass Trophy. In 1994 they achieved automatic promotion with a second-placed finish and two years later they reached the final of the Anglo-Italian Cup, where they were beaten 5-2 by Genoa at Wembley. After relegation in 2000, another trophy was added to the cabinet in 2001, when Vale beat Brentford 2-1 in the final of the LDV Vans Trophy at the Millennium Stadium.

This triumph was only a prelude to darker days, as Vale found themselves in administration in December 2002. In 2004 manager Brian Horton left to be replaced by Martin Foyle. In 2008 Port Vale were relegated to the bottom division, and last season they finished tenth, four points adrift of the play-offs.

The official capacity of Vale Park, the tenth highest ground in the country, is 18,947 all seated, although that will rise should they ever complete the development of the Lorne Street Stand. Away fans are housed in the attractively named Phones4U Stand, which can hold 4,500 supporters. This season's ticket prices are