The Game
Argyle v Port Vale. Saturday, 25 April. 3pm. Sky Bet League One.
The Opposition
Port Vale are 23rd, having played 43 games and tallied 39 points. They are already relegated from League One.
Vale started on the back foot, earning only two points from their first seven games, then got their first win with a 2-0 victory at Exeter City. Vale then won their next two, sparking hope to conclude September, However, they would not win against until New Year’s Day.
Since then, a pattern has broadly emerged, with a win followed by a short run of games without victory, and then another win periodically. However, the wins have not been enough, and Vale find themselves 11 points adrift with three games remaining.
The Gaffer
Jon Brady was born in Australia but moved to England in 1991 to join Brentford as an academy prospect. Further spells with Swansea City and Wycombe Wanderers followed before Brady headed to Norway to sign for Mjølner. Upon returning to England, the Aussie spent time in non-league with Hayes, Rushden & Diamonds, Woking, Chester City, Stevenage, Hereford United, Cambridge United, Kettering Town and Brackley Town.
The attacker completed his coaching badges whilst playing and went straight into a management role at Brackley following his retirement. The 51-year-old spent six years at Brackley before joining Northampton Town as a youth coach in 2016. Brady would go on to become caretaker manager when Keith Curle was sacked, before later taking charge permanently following Town’s relegation to League Two in 2021.
In his first campaign in charge, Northampton missed out on automatic promotion and also fell to defeat in the play-offs. The following year, they got the job done, as Brady led them back to the third tier. Midway through the 2024/25 campaign, the ex-forward resigned with the Cobblers struggling. After over two years away from management, Brady returned in January to take charge at Port Vale and has since overseen an upturn in form.
The Squad
No-one has played more minutes in 2025/26 for Port Vale than 32-year-old central defender Connor Hall. By the time he was 26, Hall was still playing non-league football, but signing for Harrogate Town in the National League, and achieving promotion with them, gave him a way into the EFL. He moved on to Port Vale from Harrogate, left for Colchester United for a year, then returned to Vale Park in summer 2024, and was in the League Two Team of the Season as Vale were promoted.
Former Pilgrim Ben Waine (above) had only played a handful of times for Vale early in the season, but began to feature more by the end of 2025. Overall, he has played 25 league games, starting 12, and scoring three goals. However, he has nine goals overall, making himself popular by scoring the only goal in a Port Vale FA Cup tie three times, eventually earning a quarter-final trip to Chelsea. Waine played 48 times for Argyle, scoring seven times. He spent last season on loan with Mansfield Town, and left for Vale last summer. He has nine goals from 30 New Zealand caps.
Earlier This Season
The sides met at Vale Park, in November, with Argyle winning 1-0. The goal was scored by former Vale striker Lorent Tolaj, early in the second half.
Argyle TV
Argyle TV’s coverage will begin at 2pm, with Aaron Cusack and Erin Black joined by Paul Wotton as we build up to the game. Commentary of the match comes from Charlie Price and Katie Middleton.
Match passes to watch this game on Argyle TV are available overseas. CLICK HERE for more information.
