Vale face friendly fire

9:16am Tuesday 18th March 2008

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VALE of Lune have arranged a fixture ahead of the must-win North Two West home game against New Brighton later this month.

They will now play at Blackburn on Easter Saturday in the Tony Hodgson Memorial game. Tony, a popular captain of Blackburn, tragically died last year when out jogging. He made four appearances in the 1987/88 season for Vale's first team.

On Easter Monday Carnforth will visit Powder House Lane to defend the Andrew Crowe Memorial Shield, which they won for the first time last season 17-5.

Meanwhile, a packed Vale of Lune clubhouse enjoyed the annual sportsman's evening and listened intently to legendary international goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who recounted his career in soccer and left the audience spellbound with a minute by minute reconstruction of his incredible save in the World Cup Finals of 1970 against Brazil.

Vale's Squash section's first team captain Dave Walker, who won the raffle, presented all the proceeds to Gordon to donate to his charity of choice, a gesture that was warmly appreciated by everyone present at the sell-out event.

Pictured at the dinner are Banks, left, Vale president Phil Sutcliffe, and MC for the night John Gwynne of Sky Sports.