In honour of their cup win earlier today, Todays’ #FOTD is The Vale Park Beano issue 4 from 1998. Beano was a late entrant to the fanzine landscape, and trying to replace the massive void left when Seth Bottomley disappeared after 40 issues in 1997. Beano is still going, an issue was printed in February with fine articles including The Wizard of Oz, The Rumour Factory, Darren Moore in Numbers, plus a free specially designed Vale beermat with every issue. 29 years is a great effort.

Back in 1998 Vale were enjoying their surge to top under John Rudge backed by chairman Bill Bell and this was their 4th season in the first Division (Championship). It was to be a “successful” season because of a dramatic final-day escape from relegation, a pulsating 4–0 win over Huddersfield ensuring Vale survived while Potteries mates Stoke City were relegated Vale were now the top club in the Potteries. They had a remarkable couple of games in the FA Cup that year as well and ended up only being beaten by penalties after a replay (remember those?). Delayed kick off, a”packed” Vale Park, Wright, Seaman, Overmars and Bergkamp all featuring for the visitors who had 19 attempts on goal, jumpers for goalposts etc…great stuff.

Serendipitously Vale had just met Sunderland in the league when the fanzine went out…unfortunately for them today’s result was reversed and then some.

The fanzine is putting on a brave face about the prospect of relegation with an balance assessment of what life might be like in division 2. Fanzines and list to “fill” a page, an ever present.

The gloom at Vale Park leads the zine to provide a macho gesturing guide for beginners which incredibly includes “Mr nice guy” Gary Lineker making a VERY rude gesture.

Not wanting to deprive the history buffs they also reproduce a great team pic from 1893 which seems to show a couple of the Peaky Blinders and Charlie Chaplin playing for the club They also provide the league tables for the 4 seasons from 1892 to 1896 just in case you would ever need to refer to them.

Let’s finish with another staple of fanzines, press cuttings and letters. The council has approved a “festival of erotica” to be hosted at Stoke’s Britannia stadium and a Vale fan agrees with local Christian groups and is not happy having had to cancel his stag do because..well read for yourself.

Brilliant fanzine fare.