Port Vale Boss Brady Says FA Cup Run Is A Pain In The Bum Despite Quarter-Final Qualification

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Port Vale reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in their history, yet Jon Brady admitted the run is creating problems in League One. A 1-0 victory over Premier League side Sunderland at Vale Park secured a last-eight place, even as Port Vale stay bottom.

Ben Waine’s precise 28th-minute header settled the tie and delivered Port Vale’s first FA Cup win over top-flight opposition since beating Everton in a 1995-96 fourth-round replay. The club now matches the 1953-54 team by advancing to the quarter-finals, while facing a serious survival fight in the league.

Port Vale sit 24th in League One, 11 points behind safety with 14 fixtures left, and Brady made clear that staying up is the main priority. The manager accepted the morale boost from the Sunderland result but stressed that every added cup game increases the workload on a stretched squad.

Brady highlighted how the cup schedule strains Port Vale’s resources, especially after losing a key central defender against Sunderland. "It’s a bit of a pain in the bum, to be honest! It is really because what it’s doing for us is adding to our fixture list. And, as you saw, we lost one of our best centre-halves and we haven’t got the size of the squad to cope with the amount of games at the moment. It’s a privilege, but it’s tough as well."

A glamour quarter-final against Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea could follow, but Brady insisted the focus stays on Bradford City away on Wednesday. "I wouldn’t have a clue because I’m thinking about Bradford on Wednesday," Brady added, underlining that league points overshadow cup glamour for Port Vale.

Port Vale’s attacking record shows a clear contrast between competitions. They have scored 15 goals in the EFL Trophy, nine in the FA Cup and two in the EFL Cup this season, matching their 26-goal total from 32 League One matches in just 14 combined cup games, highlighting better cutting edge outside the league.

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Waine has become central to that success. The forward now has eight goals in all competitions, the same total as Devante Cole, making the pair joint-top scorers for Port Vale. Waine is also the first Port Vale player to hit three FA Cup goals in a single campaign since James Wilson in 2021-22.

The New Zealand international grew up supporting Newcastle United, which added extra meaning to scoring the winner against Sunderland, Newcastle’s Tyne-Wear rivals. "I always watched the Newcastle games against Sunderland and to be involved in this game and to score the winner is pretty special," Waine said. "Not just for me, but the whole family. This is the dream, so you’ve got to enjoy living it."

Port Vale’s progress to the FA Cup quarter-finals gives the club a notable landmark and fresh attention, yet also adds fixtures, injuries and decisions for Brady. The manager must now manage confidence from the cup run while dealing with a thin squad and a sizeable gap to League One safety.