Hurtling towards relegation - but can Port Vale shock Chelsea in FA Cup?
Port Vale are the last club standing in the FA Cup from outside the Premier League and Championship. Despite a season to forget in the league, there is genuine excitement about their best run in the competition for 72 years. More than a dozen coaches will head to Chelsea from the Ye Olde Crown, a few minutes walk from the ground in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent.
When Vale clinched automatic promotion from League Two last season, supporters packed the pub to celebrate and sing 'The Wonder of You', the Elvis Presley hit played before home games. "I couldn't fit anyone else in that night," landlady Charlotte Ratcliffe recalls. "The Vale players came in and it was so busy that they went behind the bar and started serving customers.
" Charlotte's dad, Shane, a Port Vale season ticket holder, ran the pub up until he passed away in 2022. "All I've heard from customers since Vale were drawn with Chelsea is: 'I hope I can get a ticket'," adds Charlotte. "It's big for the town.
" Port Vale is not named after a specific town or borough like most clubs, with Burslem one of six towns that form part of the city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. In 1876 a meeting took place in Port Vale House with the idea of forming a football team. Whether the club was named after the house is unclear , external but fans are proud of their club's identity.
A banner displayed at matches reads: In a country full of towns, cities and uniteds, there is only one Vale - Port Vale. But what is Burslem, renowned for its rich pottery heritage, like? "There's not a lot going on anymore unless you want a pub or a curry," adds Hancock.