Rovers travel on the road once again as they arrive in Staffordshire to face Port Vale on Tuesday.

FGR will be looking to extend their 13-match unbeaten away record and here is the lowdown on the opponents in their way.

MEET THE MANAGER: DARRELL CLARKE

Clarke played in the professional game for over a decade as a box-to-box midfielder for the likes of Mansfield Town, Hartlepool United and even a short loan spell at Vale.

In 2007 he left the professional level of the game and moved to Salisbury City where he played for six years.

The 44-year-old took his first managerial role with Salisbury midway through his playing time at the club in 2010, where he managed to guide the club into the Conference Premier after two promotions in his three seasons as manager.

After his impressive stint in Wiltshire, he became Bristol Rovers assistant manager in 2013 before becoming manager in March 2014 where he stayed for four years.

Walsall appointed Clarke as boss in 2019 after their relegation to League Two in the previous season, but Clarke didn’t stay too long as he moved to the Valiants in early 2021.

Since arriving in Burslem, Clarke has galvanised Vale with them currently sitting 9th in the table after a good season so far.

KEY PLAYER: TOM CONLON

Club Captain Tom Conlon signed for the Staffordshire outfit in 2018 on an initial one-year contract.

Conlon began his career at Peterborough United in 2013 where he only made three senior appearances.

The 25-year-old was sent on loan to Stevenage in 2014 before signing on a permanent deal in 2015.

The midfielder made 71 appearances for Boro scoring two goals in his time at the club before moving to Vale Park in 2018 where he has had his most successful spell.

Conlon is enjoying a very good season with three league goals and five league assists so far as he looks to captain Vale into the Play-Off spots by the end of the season.

FORM: WDLLL

8/1/22 – Port Vale 1-4 Brentford

15/1/22 – Port Vale 1-3 Swindon Town

18/1/22 – Port Vale 0-1 Salford City

22/1/22 – Leyton Orient 0-0 Port Vale

29/1/22 – Port Vale 1-0 Scunthorpe

PLAYED FOR BOTH SIDES

Gavin Gunning

Gunning arrived at Vale Park in 2017 after playing for various clubs across Britain in the senior game.

He played in Burslem for one season before making the move to Gloucestershire to play in GL6.

The Irishman played for at the Fully Charged New Lawn for 18 months, playing over 60 appearances during his time in the southwest, before moving to Billericay Town.

Lee Collins

Telford-born defender Collins started his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers before moving to Vale initially on-loan in 2008 - and then making the move permanent the following year.

The former Rovers skipper made over 160 appearances for the Valiants before earning a move to the Championship with Barnsley.

Collins joined FGR back in 2018, making 64 appearances at The New Lawn before joining Yeovil Town in 2019.

The club were shocked and saddened when Lee sadly passed away last March, with the football family at Vale rallying around his family, raising £2,450 in his memory.

Lee Hughes 

Coming up through the academy ranks with Kidderminster Harriers, Hughes went on to score 335 goals in a football career spanning more than thirteen years, with 787 appearances in all competitions.

The striker joined Vale after a successful spell with Notts County, where he helped the side win League Two. He spent twelve months at Vale Park, before making the move to FGR in January 2013.

Hughes netted his first goal for Rovers in a 3-0 victory over Chester at The New Lawn, and stayed with the club until January 2015.

LAST TIME WE MET

Port Vale ran out 2-0 winners in Nailsworth when the two teams last faced each other last August.

Jamie Proctor scored a quick-fire brace inside the first 10 minutes to secure the three points for the Valiants at The Fully Charged New Lawn.

Luke McGee produced a terrific save from a Ben Garrity effort after a surging run from the Vale midfielder, to stop Vale further extending their lead in the second half.

Jake Young had Rovers best chance of the match when he found space for himself late on, but his shot was dragged just wide.

The loss was Rob Edwards’ first in the league since taking the job and the first time FGR dropped points in 2021/22.

LAST TIME OUT

Nathan Smith bundled home a 72nd minute winner to secure a 1-0 win against Scunthorpe United, their first league win in five games.

The centre-half managed to get on the end of Chris Hussey corner to turn the ball home, rewarding Darrell Clarke’s side after their dominance.

Kian Harratt, who joined on loan in January, came the closest for the home side early on hitting the post from a Hussey corner.

George Taft nearly broke the deadlock for the away side, but his header went just wide of the goal.

Tyrese Sinclair missed a golden opportunity to level the game late on, but Vale held on to secure a vital win.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The two teams have faced each other nine times in the league with Port Vale coming out on top winning three of those meetings compared to FGR’s two wins.

Rovers have also won outside of their league meetings when they came out on top when the sides met in the FA Cup in 2012/13.