ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE

HISTORIAN MERVYN EDWARDS EXPLORES THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CITY'S TWO PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CLUBS - STOKE CITY AND PORT VALE - DOWN THE DECADES

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WHEN my late father was a young man, he would attend the home games of both Potteries football clubs - Stoke City and Port Vale on alternate weekends.

I can't match dad's loyalty to Stoke-on-Trent footy, but like him, I was never interested in the more truculent aspects of the Stoke versus Vale rivalry - and on the relatively few occasions I have been to the bet365 stadium or Vale Park in recent years, I have shouted as loudly as anyone else in the ground for our Potteries clubs.

It's the links between our two clubs that fascinate me rather than any of the unpleasantness, the idea that we can all celebrate local football together. On that basis, it seems appropriate that my more football-orientated history talks of the past have attracted club legends from both Stoke City and Port Vale, namely Terry Conroy and Colin Askey.

In a year that has witnessed several anniversaries - we have had the City 100 festivities, the centenary of painter Arthur Berry's birth and Port Vale's 75th year at Vale Park it may not have been recognised by many that one famous Hanley hotel has celebrated its 125th year.

The Grand Hotel in Trinity Street - now the Best Western - was opened in January, 1900. It has strong connections with local foot ball.

In May, 1930, this newspaper reported on a most auspicious occasion at the hotel, running with the article headline: "Port Vale and Stoke City in harmoney. Officials and players dine together. New page in football history."

Stoke City had beaten Port Vale 2-1 on the Old Recreation Ground, Hanley, in the final of the North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary Cup. The teams had walked on to the field in pairs as a fraternal gesture.