Port Vale 2015-16 AWAY

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The 2015-2016 campaign was manager Rob Page’s first full season in charge. Chairman Norman Smurthwaite announced a cut in the wage bill and reduced contract offers for many out-of-contract players, which led to Mark Marshall, Ben Williamson and top-scorer Tom Pope leaving the club on free transfers.

A new youth policy was unveiled, with new names Enoch Andoh and Jak Alnwick impressing, beating Championship side Burnley in the League Cup before going out on penalties to Premier League club West Bromwich Albion. A poor defeat in the Second Round of the FA Cup to League Two side Exeter City cost the club a lucrative Third Round tie with Liverpool and prompted Smurthwaite to officially put the club up for sale.

Vale finished in mid table ending a run of poor form by relegating local rivals Crewe Alexandra and were reliant on loan striker Uche Ikpeazu, Louis Dodds and A-Jay Leitch-Smith in particular for goals.

The Great Pottery Throwdown first aired on BBC2 in November 2015 presented by Sara Cox alongside expert judges Kate Malone and Keith Brymer Jones. Also appearing was ‘kiln man Rich’ Richard Miller, who acted as a behind-the-scenes technician and supporting role.

It is a British television programme where a group of amateur potters compete to complete two pottery challenges, a “main make” activity and a smaller-scale task testing a specific pottery skill. It was originally filmed at Middleport Pottery before it was cancelled after the second series in 2017.