Crewe Alexandra will kick-off their Papa John’s Trophy adventure with a trip to Port Vale on Tuesday, September 5 (7.45pm).
The sides faced each other at the same venue just a week ago in the Carabao Cup, with the Val Park side emerging as winners after a penalty shootout.
The Opposition
Port Vale have had a good start to the season since a 7-0 thrashing at Barnsley on the opening day. Unbeaten since, they recorded a super 2-1 win at League One leaders Oxford United which took them to fourth in the standings.
The Gaffer
Andy Crosby was appointed as permanent Vale manager in May after a spell as interim boss.
The former Oxford and Scunthorpe defender was previously caretaker manager of the Northern Ireland U21 during 2020-21.
Fighting Talk
Lee Bell: “We have to be mindful of what we want to achieve. Getting some bodies some minutes on the pitch, it is an opportunity for some to stake their claim.”
Andy Crosby: “We will see who is available. We want to be competitive in every game.”
Head-to-Head
There have been 82 meetings between Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra. The Valiants have come out on top 39 times with the Railwaymen winning 20 times. The remaining 23 games have ended in draws.
Ticket Details
Adult admission is priced at £10 and concessions are £5. For full details click HERE.
How to Get There
For travel information as well as a helpful guide to visiting Vale Park click HERE.
Match Officials
The referee will be Steven Copeland. The assistant referees will be Thomas Harty and Andrew Ellis. The fourth official will be Elliot Bell.
Elsewhere in the EFL Trophy Northern Section
Barrow v Blackpool; Wrexham v Newcastle U21; Accrington v Carlisle; Harrogate v Nottingham U21, Fleetwood v Tranmere, Bolton v Salford and Barnsley v Grimsby.
Can’t Make The Game?
Crewe fans in the UK and around the world can watch the clash with Port Vale live on iFollow.
An iFollow match pass for Crewe fixtures includes graphics and replays – all for just £10 (or local equivalent).
The action is complemented by commentary from the BBC Radio Stoke team of Graham McGarry and Peter Morse.
Click here to secure your iFollow match pass today and make sure you don’t miss a minute of the contest.
Alternatively, you can listen to LIVE commentary on iFollow - CLICK HERE to purchase an Audio Match Pass for just £2.50!
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