When the referee blew the final whistle at Vale Park in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, on Sunday, Paul Dixon, a 56-year-old painter and decorator, was in disbelief.
Port Vale, which sits at the bottom of League One, had defeated the Premier League side Sunderland to secure a place in the FA Cup quarter-final – the first time in 72 years.
A goal from Ben Waine in the first half saw a rapturous reaction from Vale fans in the stands before an all-out celebration at the end of the fixture, as they witnessed their team knock out a club ranked 57 places above them in the pyramid.
Dixon, who has attended Vale fixtures since 1973, entered the stadium with low expectations. “I thought we’d get turned over,” he said. “We’re bottom of the league for a reason.”
But the header from Waine in the first half transformed the club’s chances. An anxious second-half followed, but Vale were able to defend their lead until the final whistle.
“It was a big relief as it was the longest 45 minutes of my life hanging on to a 1-0 lead,” Dixon, said. “I was shaking my head in disbelief, I still am today actually.”
Darren Gerrard-Ford, a 30-year-old from Newcastle-under-Lyme, watched the match on television and said he could not believe his eyes.
“I was just absolutely gobsmacked, I couldn’t talk for ages. I normally do TikTok Lives as soon as it’s happened, but I just couldn’t put into words how I was feeling and how big this actually is,” he said.
The shock was echoed by the club itself who posted on X after the match, “We’re three wins away from European football”, alongside a laughing emoji. Similar sentiments were also expressed by the manager, Jon Brady, who said: “I’m a little surprised at the moment or a little bit in shock.”
Vale has had a difficult season with just six league victories in 32 games.
Gerrard-Ford said many fans had been left doubting the club in the lead-up to Sunday’s game.
“It’s been a proper rollercoaster ride but that’s what you get if you’re a fan in the lower leagues – obviously you’ve got small budgets basically trying your best to survive every season,” he said. “You’d never expect this kind of run from little old Port Vale.”
Andy Fleming, 46, who grew up in Stoke-on-Trent but now lives in Manchester, also attended the match against Sunderland on Sunday and described Vale’s win as “amazing”.
He said support for the club has been a “proud family tradition” for many fans, with a “strong” link between the club and the local area.
“I know a lot of supporters who have grown up in the area and then moved away, but the football club always acts as a sort of anchor that brings them back to their own identity and where they grew up,” he said.
Dixon said the club also carried out a lot of community work for the area, including providing support for children and families.
“To be fair it’s really a quite downtrodden area, Stoke is,” he said. “Stoke City and Port Vale is like a lifeline to them.”
Vale fans found out on Monday evening their club would be facing Chelsea at the quarter-final, due to take place on the first weekend of April.
Until then, the question on the minds of many will be can their team make it all the way?
Fleming was cautious. “It’s still very much a dream. I don’t think it’s going to happen in reality,” he said. “We’ll just see where we go.”
But Dixon expressed hope.
“I would love it. There’d be nothing more funny than Port Vale being in Europe.”
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