Vale Park's PERFECT

THIS SEASON IS THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF PORT VALE MOVING TO VALE PARK IN AUGUST 1950. HERE FAN AND CLUB HISTORIAN PHIL SHERWIN PICKS OUT TEN MEMORABLE GAMES

- 

Saturday, February 20, 1960 - FA Cup 5th Round PORT VALE 1 ASTON VILLA 2 Memorable for the fact that almost 50,000 fans crammed into Vale Park to see the Vale take on the eventual Second Division champions in their biggest cup tie for six years. Snow had threatened the game and 1,500 tons of the white stuff was taken away the day before.

Vale took the lead from the penalty spot in the 36th minute and was tripped by Vic Crowe, and Brian Jackson slid home the spot-kick.

The ground became a sea of mud but Villa conjured up an equaliser in the 58th minute. Jimmy MacEwan launched a right-wing cross to the far-post where Gerry Hitchens powered a header into the net via a deflection off David Raine. Villa poured forward but Vale were just six minutes from a replay when the visitors won it. Another MacEwan cross was this time headed in by Bobby Thomson and the Vale were out.

The crowd of 49,768 is the largest ever at Vale Park and produced record receipts at the time of £8,400.