Port Vale reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in the club's long history and it won't be forgotten
09:00, 05 Apr 2026
Port Vale players stand together during an FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Chelsea.
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Port Vale players stand together during an FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Chelsea.(Image: Getty Images)
Jon Brady and Port Vale have had a fair old season of contrasts.
The club has been stuck at the wrong end of League One and is coming to terms with the probability that they will have to regroup in League Two next term.
But in the FA Cup there has been magic. They beat Championship side Bristol City before knocking out Premier League Sunderland to set up a quarter-final away at world champions Chelsea.
No one gave them a chance - but it's the FA Cup and people always dream. But then Chelsea took the lead inside 64 seconds and went on to win 7-0, although that didn't stop a 6,000 travelling supporting making a load of noise from first whistle to last.
Here is the post-match reaction from manager Brady.
How can you sum up that afternoon?
Brady: "We set out a goal to try not to concede in the first 20 minutes and try to get some small wins but to concede in the first minute was really tough. We conceded three set pieces as well. I think their first goal was excellent, excellent play. I thought our structure out of possession was quite good overall to limit them to not a huge amount of open play chances.
"Overall, where we're at and where they're at... They've got Argentinian and Brazilian and Portuguese internationals at the top of their game, getting ready for the World Cup. They've just come back from international games and it shows the levels - and the inspiration.
"That's got to be inspiring enough to my players and coaching staff to strive to be better every day. There are so many levels in the game and can we aspire to be better every day?"
A kick in the teeth to concede so early?
"It was a kicker but for the first time in 72 years, we've reached the FA Cup quarter-finals and created a huge amount of history for the football club.
"To have a week like we did and beat Bristol City and then beat Sunderland when everyone thought we'd get hammered - what a week that was for the football club.
"We've created memories for a lifetime for a lot of our fans and to have 6,000 of then here today, cheering us on from the first whistle and even staying until the very end... we are hugely appreciative."
A huge noise and backing from the Vale fans on the back of everything that's happened this season?
"What we've got to do realistically is a mountainous task to try to stay in League One. We will always fight until the bitter end. It probably looks more than likely we probably need to reset and reframe and get ourselves regrouped and ready to go probably for a League Two campaign. We're not going to give in but we have to reset ourselves as a club and a team."
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Great if they could come down on Tuesday vs Rotherham?
"That would be amazing. What we want to do is reward them with a performance."
What did Liam Rosenior say to you afterwards?
"Make sure you come in for a beer."
Did you?
"I haven't yet. A good mate of mine is his assistant, Justin Walker. He just said a few kind words."
Three shots a piece in first half was there frustration you couldn't needle them a bit?
"You don't want to be toothless do you? You want to lay a few punches on them in terms of shots. Rhys Walters, a young boy from the academy, had a half chance and kind of snatched at it and it's ifs, buts and maybes. Realistically we didn't have too much to worry them. You can look back but unfortunately we didn't have the quality - and nowhere near the quality they've got."
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