“The Port Vale manager, Jon Brady, left Australia as a 17-year-old to chase his dream of playing in the United Kingdom. Spells at Brentford, Swansea and Wycombe did not make a first-team debut a reality. The sacrifice would not be wasted as determination to make a career in England grew stronger, becoming a non-league stalwart, but always with an eye on what came next.
“Like Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final opponent, Chelsea’s head coach Liam Rosenior, Brady plotted a route to the dugout from early on, earning his B licence at the age of 23. Twenty-eight years later, he has managed more than 500 league games, in charge of Brackley and Northampton before joining League One’s bottom club in January, and embarking on a surprising Cup run…”
Jeff Sax has messaged in to say:
“The failure of the Chelsea ‘model’ reflects the total lack of understanding of football that the new ownership possess. This was highlighted by signing Rosenior to a 6-year contract.”
Port Vale last reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup 72 years ago. They faced Leyton Orient in the 1953-54 quarter-finals and clinched a 1-0 win to reach the semis.
