Port Vale v Bristol Rovers
Emirates FA Cup Second Round, Vale Park, Saturday 6 December 2025, 3pm KO
Bristol Rovers return to Emirates FA Cup action this weekend as the Gas make the trip to Stoke-on-Trent to face Sky Bet League One side Port Vale.
A place in the third round, and a potential tie with one of the Premier League’s big hitters, awaits the winners of Saturday’s second round contest.
The Gas secured their place in the second round thanks to a 2-1 win away to Bromley at the start of November, and will be eager to keep this season’s impressive cup form going after progression to the Vertu Trophy Round Of 16 on Tuesday.
Port Vale, meanwhile, progressed in the FA Cup courtesy of a 5-1 home win against Maldon & Tiptree.
For Head Coach Darrell Clarke, Saturday’s outing means a return to face the side he managed between February 2021 and April 2023, winning 52 of his 124 games in charge of the Valiants.
Read on for all you need to know about Saturday’s fixture...
Tickets…
Tickets are still available for Bristol Rovers supporters for the trip to Port Vale this weekend.
Tickets are on general sale and can be purchased online here. Tickets will go off sale online at midday on Friday 5 December but a pay-on-the-day option is available for fans travelling to Vale Park. Purchases are by card only.
Supporters should note that etickets are in use for this fixture.
Competition…
There are no replays in the Emirates FA Cup from the first round proper onwards. If a tie is level after 90 minutes then 30 minutes of extra-time will be played. Should the score remain level after the additional half-an-hour then the winner of the tie will be determined by penalties.
As per FA Cup regulations, each team can name nine substitutes, of which five are permitted to be used across three windows in normal time. Substitutions can also be made at half-time. If extra-time is required, teams are provided with an extra substitution window.
If a player suffers a concussion (or potential concussion) Clubs are permitted to make one additional substitution in accordance with the relevant IFAB protocol. Any such concussion substitutions are in addition to the five normal substitutions permitted.
Travel…
A little over 125 miles separates The Memorial Stadium and Vale Park, and supporters making the drive on Saturday can expect the journey to take roughly two-and-a-half hours.
Fans making the drive can reach Vale Park via the M5 northbound, taking the M6 through Birmingham and exiting on Junction 15. Follow Queensway to Longport and follow the directions to the stadium from there.
Car parking can be booked at the Dimensions Leisure Centre, which runs parking for supporters on behalf of Port Vale FC. The site is monitored and patrolled by BigParking, and spaces can be pre-booked online for £10.
Supporters taking the train are best booking travel to Stoke-on-Trent railway station, although further travel will be required as the station is four miles from Vale Park.
Trains that pass through Stoke-on-Trent depart Bristol Temple Meads every hour, on the hour, on Saturday, with the journey taking a little over two hours. Fans utilising trains should note the last return to Bristol Temple Meads will depart Stoke-on-Trent at 8.04pm on Saturday evening.
How To Follow…
Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup fixture has not been chosen for broadcast in the United Kingdom, or indeed anywhere across the globe.
As such, the best way to follow the action is through the Club official channels, with regular updates provided live from Vale Park on the Bristol Rovers X account.
Reaction from the game will follow in the aftermath while extended highlights will be available on the Club website, app and social media channels from midday on Sunday 7 December.
Live commentary will be available in the UK from BBC Radio Bristol.
Opposition….
It was always going to be a challenging season for Port Vale.
The Valiants secured promotion back to Sky Bet League One at the end of the 2024/25 campaign but, in a highly competitive division, have struggled to find consistency in the first half of the season.
Losing last year’s top goalscorer, Lorent Tolaj, to Plymouth Argyle has undoubtedly made an impact. Devante Cole has come in and, although found early form which fired Vale to three straight league wins, October and November has been a struggle for Saturday’s hosts – not dissimilar to the Gas.
Getting goals did seem to be the problem for Darren Moore’s side, who have scored once in their last eight league matches. But, on Tuesday, they turned on the style and found form, putting five past Barnsley to progress in the Vertu Trophy Round Of 32.
They did also net five in the FA Cup first round too, seeing off Isthmian League North Division team Maldon & Tiptree 5-1 to set up Saturday’s clash with the Pirates.
This weekend’s game sees a return to Vale Park for Darrell Clarke, heading back to the team he guided from 18th in League Two back to League One via the play-offs, defeating Mansfield 3-0 in the final in 2022.
This weekend’s match is the 75th time Rovers and Vale have met in competitive action, with Rovers claiming 25 wins in the previous 74. Vale have 30 to their name.
Match Officials…
Referee: Ross Joyce
Assistant Referees: William Cavanagh & Drew Dutton
Fourth Official: Oliver Noonan
Ross Joyce will take charge of his first Bristol Rovers match of the season this weekend, but the match official holds a unique place in Gas history.
A little over ten years ago, Joyce was the man in the middle when Bristol Rovers claimed their National League play-off final win over Grimsby Town, a result secured thanks to the famous Lee Mansell penalty.
An experienced and trusted official in the EFL, Joyce will take charge of his 500th competitive fixture at Vale Park on Saturday, a run that goes back to 2007.
In that extensive career Joyce has officiated 16 Bristol Rovers games, the most recent being a scoreless draw with Fleetwood Town in Sky Bet League One in March 2024.
