By Joe Jones
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Notts County have met Port Vale a grand total of 101 times over the years, with the first two fixtures coming within a week of each other back in February 1921. The Magpies won the first game 2-1, but lost 1-0 at Meadow Lane.
Notts have the upper edge having won 45 games, lost 36, and drawn 20 against the Valiants, with the highest scoring matches coming in February 1927 (a 6-2 defeat) and April 1935 (a 5-3 defeat).
Last time these two played, at Meadow Lane in League One in February 2015, Vale won 1-0.
Port Vale is one of the few English league clubs not to be named after a geographical location.
The name Port Vale exists on maps pre–dating the formation of the club, which probably occurred in 1879, and is a reference to a valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey Canal, associated with the city's pottery industry.
The club itself is actually based in Burslem, one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
Port Vale have never been in the top tier of English football, and the last time they were in the second tier was back in 1999-2000.
In terms of silverware, the Valiants have won the Staffordshire Senior Cup twice, in 1920 and 2001, whilst being runners-up in 1900 and 2010, as well as several other regional cups like the Birmingham Senior Cup, one of the oldest county football competitions still active.
The club, despite being fairly small, enjoys the support of some world-famous celebrities. Robbie Williams is known to be a huge fan, to the point that he held £240,000 worth of shares in the club and has a restaurant at Vale Park named after him.
For the videogame FIFA 2000, he provided an original theme song called It's Only Us, on the condition that Port Vale should be included in the game, which they were, located in the Rest of World section (back in the days when the smaller teams weren't included).
Also, in 2005, Williams founded Los Angeles Vale FC, a Super Metro League team in the United States, named after Port Vale and based at his Los Angeles home.
Darts star Phil “The Power” Taylor is also a big fan, while Blue (that Noughties boy-band) singer Simon Webbe was part of their youth setup until a ligament injury hampered any prospect of a career in football.
Team news
Port Vale will be without veteran midfielder Michael Tonge through suspension for the visit of Notts as he is serving a three-match ban for his sending off in last weekend's home loss to Crewe.
Goalkeeper Rob Lainton is hoping to return after four games out with a thigh injury but defender Tyrone Barnett (hamstring) is not yet fit despite making good progress.
Striker Rekeil Pyke (hamstring) will also be assessed while forward Anton Forrester (thigh) and midfielder Danny Pugh (knee) are longer-term absentees.
Notts will be without the suspended Matt Tootle after defender was sent off late on in the 2-2 home draw with Accrington Stanley, and he will serve a one-match ban at Vale Park.
Magpies manager Kevin Nolan will probably choose between Carl Dickinson and Nicky Hunt to replace Tootle at full-back.
Striker Jonathan Forte continues to push for a starting place after impressing from the bench in recent matches.
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