Opponents: Port Vale
Date: Saturday 8 January
Kick-off: 3pm
Capacity: 20,552
Post code for sat-nav: ST6 1AW
Designed to be the Wembley of the North, the initial plans for the Vale Park development would have seen an 80,000-capacity stadium built to replace Vale's Old Recreation Ground.
The ground opened in 1950 having eventually cost £50,000 and boasting a capacity of 40,000. The original ground consisted of just two stands, the Railway stand and the Lorne Street main stand, with banks of terracing at the Bycars and Hamil ends of the ground.
The Bycars end was originally the Swan Passage stand from the Old Recreation Ground, which was taken apart, moved across the city and re-erected as the funds for an entirely new stand had run out.
In 1954, the Railway Stand was built, as capacity gradually increased to 50,000 by the end of the decade; a club record 49,768 attending a 1960 FA Cup Fifth Round fixture against Aston Villa.
Safety regulations introduced in the 1980s brought the stadium's capacity down to 12,000 by the end of the decade. The 1990s saw many building projects started, although some are still yet to be completed. In 1992, Chester City had moved from Sealand Road to their new Deva stadium. Chairman Bill Bell saw an opportunity and the steelwork from Chester’s main stand was dismantled, sand-blasted, repainted, moved and used as the roof for a new-look Hamil End. The first fans to be housed in Vale's new away end were, of course, Chester City.
Did you know?
Costing £100, the pitch at Vale Park was the most expensive ever laid in the country at the time of construction in 1950.
HOW TO GET THERE
By Car
From the South, Leave M6 at junction 15 and take the A500 north to Stoke-on-Trent. Continue on this road until you come to the exit signposted Tunstall A5271. Take the fourth exit, and after 0.5 miles turn right on to the B5051 (second exit, Newcastle Street) at the small roundabout.
From the North, Leave M6 at junction 16 and take the A500 south to Stoke-on-Trent. In approx 6 miles take the exit signposted Tunstall (A5271). At the roundabout take a left turning, second exit signposted Tunstall A5271.
From the East, Enter the City via Uttoxeter bypass (M1/M6 link road) and through Meir and the new Meir Tunnel. Continue on the road until you pass Stoke City's Britannia Stadium. Get in the middle or the right-hand lane and turn right at the roundabout on to the A500. Continue on the A500 and take the exit signposted Tunstall A5271.
From the West, Follow the A500 east and take the exit signposted Tunstall A5271.
Once on the A5271, all routes then carry on up to the next roundabout and go straight across to the crossroads. Go straight across the crossroads into Moorland Road. Take the second left on to Hamil Road and Vale Park is on the left.
Parking for visiting fans is directly in front of the Hamil Road Stand, which is accessible through gate C. Visiting coaches can also access this car park.Gate C parking prices:Car: £5Minibus: £15Coach: £25*Car parking is pay on the day*
By Train/bus
Trains run to the main Stoke-on-Trent station, which is served by services from Euston. Direct services take around 1hr 45, stopping at Milton Keynes Central on the way.
From Stoke-on-Trent station, you can catch a bus to Burslem town centre. The Ground is situated on Hamil Road (By the traffic lights, go past the Red Lion on your left and Hamil Road is the second left turning.)
You can also catch the train to Longport station which is a 25-minute walk to Vale Park. Head up Station Street then head onto Newcastle Street until you reach Burslem town centre. Hamil Road is then on your left.
The following bus routes run to Burslem Town Centre.
98/98A: Run regularly from Newcastle Bus Station
20/20A/29/21/21A: Run regularly from Hanley Bus Station
7/7A/7B/7C: Run regularly from Stoke-on-Trent Bus Station through to Hanley Bus Station and then to Burslem Town Centre
Stadium Information
Visiting fans are allocated seating in the Hamil Road Stand. The away fans’ ticket office is to the left of the away stand as you are facing it.
WHERE TO EAT/DRINK:
Located just outside the away turnstiles is Tommy Cheadle’s which allows all home and away fans in for free. The doors open at 12:00 for a Saturday fixture.