COMMENT: A very different English footballing landscape when Portsmouth last visited Port Vale

On April Fool’s Day 2000, the Blues suffered a 2-0 defeat in what was then known as Football League Division 1.

On the day Ville Viljanen put the lowly Valiants into a 15th minute lead, Wimbledon and Bradford City were playing in the Premier League.

On the day referee Paul Rejer decided to take centre stage at Vale Park, Harry Redknapp’s West Ham shipped seven goals at Old Trafford against that season’s runaway champions.

On the day Rejer dismissed Pompey defender David Watermen for handball two minutes before half-time, Manchester City were playing at Swindon Town in another second tier game.

On the day Rejer awarded Vale a penalty for Waterman’s offence, David Moyes was on course to win the third tier title with Preston North End.

On the day Tommy Widdrington converted the spot-kick, Brighton & Hove Albion were hosting a fourth tier fixture in front of a sub 6,000 crowd at an athletics stadium.

And on the day Pompey’s misery was completed by a second red card in the 83rd minute, this one for Adrian Whitbread, six clubs who no longer exist were playing in the top four divisions.

The supporters of Wimbledon, Bury, Macclesfield Town, Chester City, Halifax Town and Darlington had no idea of the controversies, troubles and financial worries that lay ahead.

While nine-man Pompey crashed to a Vale side eventually relegated, 13 points adrift of safety, Wimbledon were losing 3-1 to Arsenal at Selhurst Park.

Within a few weeks, the Dons fairytale was over - a 2-0 loss at Southampton resulting in relegation following an incredible 14-year top flight career.

That Dell loss was 12 years to the day since Wimbledon shocked Liverpool to lift the FA Cup (‘the crazy gang have beaten the culture club’ - John Motson) in one of the game’s most romantic moments.

It was also the beginning of the end. By September 2003, the Dons had been relocated to Milton Keynes. And by the beginning of 2004/05, English football’s first professional franchise - MK Dons - had taken their name.

On April Fool’s Day 2000, Manchester City were a very different beast to today. Back then, the only foreigners who started their 2-0 win at Swindon were Bermudan striker Shaun Goater and Australian Danny Tiatto. A third, Dutchman Gerard Wiekens, came off the bench.

Within weeks, and following a 2-2 draw at Fratton Park where Pompey striker Lee Bradbury netted twice against his former club, City were back in the Premier League, Joe Royle masterminding back-to-back promotions (yes, younger readers, City were in the third tier in 1998/99).

Their top flight return did not last long. In May 2001 they dropped out of the Premier League once again, along with Coventry and Bradford. A tale of three cities, indeed. While middle east investment has helped the blue half of Manchester shrug off a ‘yo yo’ tag and become multiple Premier League winners, Coventry and Bradford have nosedived into the fourth tier, both at times besieged by financial worries.

Though Coventry are now in the Championship, their fans have had to endure groundsharing seasons at Northampton and Birmingham. Bradford, however, remain in League 2 (paradoxically, being watched by bigger crowds than they attracted when they were in the Premier League!)

On April Fool’s Day 2000, Havant & Waterlooville were losing 2-1 at Westleigh Park to Merthyr in a Southern Premier League fixture.

Three of their rivals that season are now in the EFL - Burton Albion, Crawley Town and Newport County. But while Burton progressed to the Championship - swapping Grantham for Derby in terms of their, er, derby - others weren’t so lucky. Bottom two Rothwell and Atherstone subsequently folded.

Not every club can prosper; for some to succeed, others must fail - that’s the story of football, from the top of the pyramid to the very bottom.

Of the 92 clubs in the top four tiers when Pompey last played at Port Vale, 15 are no longer there. Another 15 have been relegated to non-league football, only to later return.

Only five clubs have never been promoted or relegated in the subsequent 22 years - Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham.

In wider society - there is more to life than football! - much has also changed. When Waterman and Whitbread trudged off the pitch for their proverbial early bath, the average price of a pint in the UK was £1.99. Now it’s over £4, unless you regularly drink at Wetherspoon’s.

When Vale were beating Pompey to end a 10-match winless streak, the average price of a house was around £80,000. Now it’s over £280,000.

And when Vale failed to build on their win against Tony Pulis’ Blues, failing to win any of their last eight matches either, a litre of petrol was under 80.2p and a litre of diesel was under 82.3p. Those were the prices in September 2000 when there was a national protest by lorry drivers against the rising cost of fuel.

Wonder what those drivers are thinking now as Pompey prepare to return to Vale Park …?

Pompey (v Port Vale, April 1 2000): Hoult, Moore, Edinburgh (Myers, 86), Whitbread, Derry, Waterman, Hughes (Crowe, 62), Thogersen (Awford, 62), Harper, Bradbury, Claridge.