The Voice - Match preview #22: Bradford City vs Port Vale Monday 29th December 2025 7.45pm

Yes, a few on the Vale forum were suggesting our players were a bunch of diving pansies, trying to get their players carded. That included the incident where Wright was down injured for several minutes, which took place at the opposite end of the pitch from the Vale fans. I know we’re all biased in favour of our club but that’s ridiculous

 

All fans do the same. Completely blinkered in their teams favour and completely one sided. I always have a look at other boards post match and almost always it's full of posters saying the ref didn't give them anything.

 

Many, many years ago I was a sponsors guest at a Huddersfield match (I know I'm sorry). Billy Whitehurst won MOM. I think he was playing for Reading but could be wrong. Firstly he was nowhere near as big as I thought he would be. Someone asked him who was the hardest player he had played against. His answer was Ian Botham! Now that I've typed that I'm not sure how they could played against each other with Scunny being lower level. Maybe I imagined it

 

You want to go on the neutral forum that me and @loz and I believe a few others go on. Vale and Mansfield fans dominate the threads, always bias and think the refs against them. If anyone thinks we’re bias on here, believe me they’re another level.

 

Not for me, looked like a clear accident but I suppose we'll never know.

 

I don't think we are any more bias than anyone else. I think there are plenty of balanced posters on here but in general the whole culture around how fans react to completely subjective decisions is crackers.

 

I know. I just mean for a neutral forum it’s crazy how they dominate every thread and blame the ref for every decision. Whilst it’s not always balanced on here it’s truly another level.

 

Got to be honest whilst i think vale were pretty aggressive i felt there were a few times where we milked it a bit. It was just one of those niggly games

 

Is that the L1 banter forum? They haven’t got a bloody clue what banter is . The Mansfield teenagers don’t know what the opposite sex is , never mind football .

 

Reading their forum it's complete despair with the club. There was no way they were going to score last night as Stockley spent all game just elbowing our defenders and Cole spent all game running around aimlessly. They are in big trouble and they know it. They even brought on the two big lads near the end to try to batter us. But we stood tall.

This team really fights for each other and for the first time in probably a decade has no soft under belly.

Kudos has to go with the recruitment and I have every faith that come the end of January we will have a squad really capable of ending the season strongly.

Everyone can see how level this league is and GA alluded to this on the radio after the game-basically we are looking for a strong end to the season. He didn't use the P word but why the hell not. Rupp must be in dream land. I bet he has a few investors lined up if we get promoted. We will be a very investable club in the Championship with virtually guaranteed sell outs each week with probably the highest number of ST's taken as well.

 

I would call that game management.

 

Our points total is incredible. We are already in touching distance. We'd need a significant drop in form to miss out on the play offs. I'm already making plans for May. Yes we could see a drop off and we have some tough games coming up but if we can cobble a few wins together over our next run up until the Town game then we are realistically looking at 8 or 9 more wins to secure a play off place. Every win is huge now. I'd say a win on Thursday and a win against Rotherham and we are well on the way.

 

This one https://www.footballforums.net/index.php

 

I very much doubt we set up to play the way we have played recently. some have been saying exactly what you've quoted above and as yet no team has hammered us.

 

Better view of the Tilt penalty appeal at 3:31. I have seen penalties given for much less than this.

Then the Stockley back heel at 3:58-another penalty claim for the initial pull to the floor then a deliberate back heel-he knew exactly what he was doing as he was ahead of Wright after he was hauled down so why did he need to flick his foot backwards.

 

Im Mossley Bantam on there. The running joke on there is the EFL and refereeing conspiracy against Vale. Incredibly biased set of posters for Vale on there. Odd.

 

Think we're begging a little of we think that's a pen and a sending off. Perhaps we've seen softer ones given but there isn't much in either incident and I'd be annoyed if either were given against us.

 

A good ref would have penalised both those incidents. I didn't call for anyone to be sent off though.

 

Thanks, not seen it .