Episode 7 Late Kick Off Midlands

Coming up. Party time as Port Vale end a 19-year wait for promotion.

This must be a sweet day for you. am a bit over, to be honest.

Wood you believe it - Chris has got the Foxes firing. It is a dream to

play in the Premier League. And Saturday's not just about Pride

And joining me to reflect on another nerve-jangling weekend for clubs

right across our region are Steve Froggatt and Michael Johnson. Now we

like to be accurate, so we shouldn't really say Port Vale have been

promoted for the first time in 19 years. But it would take a

monumental 28-goal swing next Saturday to stop them. So let's run

the risk and say Port Vale have been promoted for the first time in 19

years. Laura May McMullan spent an fans could only dream of. I have

followed them for 60 years and this is the icing on the cake. They faced

a determined Northampton side fighting for a play-off place. A

sell out crowd turned up to back the boys. I have travelled from Dallas,

Texas. What would promotion mean to you? It would be massive. I was in

the team that last got promotion. It would be fantastic for the fans here

who have suffered over the years. Port Vale have actually come from

administration to celebration. This time last year they had been

deducted ten points and staff had not been paid. All this within 12

months. So promotion was in their grasp. Just 90 minutes to seal their

fate and write themselves into the history books. But it was a fight

from two minutes then. That is turned on at the back post and

Northampton have scored. frustration was clear to see. Liam

Chilvers got at idle equaliser. -- a vital equaliser. A tense promotion

battle and it was a late goal from Lee Collins is sealed Port Vale's

destiny. They'll our back on level terms! In front of the biggest home

crowd of the season, Port Vale when promotion for the first time in

nearly 20 years. The final whistle healed years of torment. For some,

a bit emotional. I am. It is my fourth promotion, I have been a

lucky man. They get better and better. I just think of the people

who have been here, all the players who have come through this system

and have played their part in this, and also the people who have put me

on this earth. My late dad would be so proud. It was a victory that also

meant the world to Tom Pope, a lifelong Port Vale fun I will look

back on this day with a great deal of pride. I have achieved everything

I can achieve in the game. It is unbelievable. I was here when we

weren't getting paid in Administration. Did come through

these times and get promotion is unbelievable. The gaffer is a big

part of what we have done today. I'll crowd are you of your dad?

very proud, he worked very hard. This must be a sweet day for you.

Yeah, it is. I am a bit overcome, to be honest. If you had said this

would happen to us at the start of the season I would have thought you

were mad. All the trials and tribulations, it is testament to my

players will stop they have been fantastic. This showed that spirit

today. They have waited 20 years for something and finally it has

happened. A big outpouring of at -- emotion. It was absolutely amazing.

I don't know what else the city today. So Port Vale have made

destiny and achieved their goal, testament to the loyalty and

dedication of the team of two -- of 2013.

Officially they might not have that P by the name but they are all but

promoted. And a five-minute montage of yesterday's fantastic footage is

on our Facebook page for Vale fans to keep forever. What a story. I

know you're feeling the motion. feeling the love. It is amazing what

Micky Adams has done. Had no players registered the week before the

season, no training kit. It is a remarkable story, you can see how

emotional Mickey was stopped for them to be promoted as a great

story. I am sure they have good support and that am sure they will

do well next term. For those who were there at the start of the

season, and also he has a personal touch with his father, they have had

to pay a heavy price. They're often the seal -- off the field have been

well documented. He has now delivered something back to the Port

Vale fans and I hope they click on next year. When that places fool

then it is bouncing. It is a great next season, hasn't he? If you have

the players have experience in their higher leagues and that will count

for a lot. It is an exciting time for Port Vale. They are very well

supported and they have big crowds and it will not be an easy way -- an

easy place to go to. Is this feeling relief more than anything? They will

be ecstatic, the celebrations will go on long until the morning. If you

go in the town centre, there will be flax. It is a great time to be a

Port Vale fan. Well done to everybody at Port Vale football

club. What a difference a week makes for Leicester City. After nine games

without a win, the Foxes have suddenly picked up four points from

two vital promotion games against play-off rivals Bolton and Crystal

Palace. It leaves them seventh, one place ahead of Nottingham Forest,

who are without a win in six after a luckless game against Barnsley.

is in! It is headed in to the bottom scores what could be the winner for

Crystal Palace. Chris Wade scores it. Nigel Pearson punches the air in

daylight. We played pretty well today. We had to show a bit of

resilience. He heads on to the top of the crossbar. These players gave

us absolutely everything. We had the Barclays, the post twice. They gave

us everything. If they give us what became us today then I'm sure we

Wood score earlier. He had a �1 million move in January from West

Bromwich. He only has one target and he has been talking to Natalie

Jackson. We need to make sure we are on form every single game. We need

to show everything and it is not always going to be easy days but you

have to graft hard. We need to focus on doing the business on the park in

these last games and make sure we are in the mix for the play-offs.

Chris Wood says it is that time of season when every player needs to

look at himself in the mirror. have confidence in the lads in the

team, we have great ability here and I'm sure we will be there. Chris

started his Leicester career in hat-trick in his first two games.

You had a dream start, didn't you? It was a very good start for me.

Hopefully I can carry that on and make a great career here at

Leicester. At 21, the New Zealand international striker had already

played for six English clubs before he made his million pounds move to

Leicester. I love the place here, it is a big club and Apex city. I just

wanted to settle in her quickly and play for football for a great club

like Leicester. He has come a long way from putting up the nets as an

apprentice at West Bromwich Albion. It is a dream I have had since I was

a kid to play regularly in the Premier League. It is a dream

tantalisingly close but after being in the top two in January, he and

Leicester have left it late. It is terrible defending, no

communication. Leicester's lead is snuffed out. Chris has been at the

centre of a timely comeback. Leicester are starting to show the

fight and heart that get them in the top six earlier in the season, but

will it be enough? Automatic promotion has gone so what is at

stake? To get back into the play-offs where we have been all

season. We have not dropped out of there 456 months and so we need to

get back into there. Is it a lot about mental strength at this stage

of the season? Yes, it plays a big part. We all know we can hope with

it because we have great players. We need to make sure we apply ourselves

right and focus on the game. So from the ashes left of the season, can

worked hard. We have got in a position where we can control our

own fate. I have got that fight in me and the hunger. So Chris would

love a promotion that with two games to go, it all hangs on the Barents

Midlands need a bit of inspiration for how to pick themselves up from

the play-offs, it is perfectly expressed by our viewer who tweeted.

We need to put an ice cube down the back of terror. Let's see where our

the East Midlands will be biting their nails until the end. Bolton

have a tough game away to Cardiff. Even when you look at Brighton, they

have leads and an interesting game against walls. They looked like they

can progress in this. -- against wayside for some time but for

Forest, they could not have done any more against Barnsley yesterday and

now they find themselves without a win in five games. The expectations

have soared since Chris has come back. He has done incredibly. But

now they are riding the crest of something big. And if you are

manager and you are looking at how they are playing, I would rather my

team be going into the final few games in the state they are in.

Momentum, is it overplayed going into the play-offs? No, you want the

momentum going in there. Leicester are of form and jaded. It does not

look good. Last week we pondered the threat of relegation to league one

for Wolves and it was fair to say there was not much hope being

offered but then Dean Saunders' side one midweek. A chink of light may

And Wolves level. In comes the cross. Oh no! No! It was not our day

today. We are running out of games now but always not lost next week.

Burnley at home. We have to win. COMMENTATOR: A chance on the

rebound! It is very frustrating, September, November, was really bad

for us in terms of not picking up enough points. But since just before

Christmas, we have played like a to look away now, Wolves fans. This

is the perilous state they find themselves in and it was this

weekend 12 months ago that a defeat to Manchester City consigned them to

relegation from the Premier League. Wolves at home to Burnley and a to

Brighton. Surely they have to win both those games to have any chance

of staying up. They will need at least four points. Nobody thought

they were going to beat whole last week. They did. Charlton was always

going to be a difficult game. It is do or die now. They had nine

first-team players out with injury or suspension at the weekend. They

just have to fight their way to the results now. The Burnley game, it is

massive. But also look at their form. They are in no great shakes at

the moment. Despite smiling and Wolves, because results went their

way as well? I certainly hope so. It would the tragedy to see them drop

out of the league. It is just fighting tooth and nail to retain

their Championship status and that is all they can do. And what about

your club, Blues the Mack considering their horrendous start

to the season do you think they will be safe with a few games left?

worried that you cannot take away the great job that Lee Clark and the

team have done. Hopefully we can start looking forward and getting

this club moving in the right direction. And some ahead at St

Andrews, they have 19 players out of contract plus six players to go back

to their parent clubs. It will be starting from scratch again. Lee

Mack it is difficult, isn't it? There is no ownership upstairs.

need someone to take control of the club and invest in it. It is young

players we are looking forward to starting the season with. Unlike

Wolves, Derby County are safe. They ended Peter Boro's unbeaten run

yesterday to maintain their Championship status for another

year. It is the morning of the match day

at Pride Park but like father, like son. Nigel is with the youngsters at

the Academy. When we were growing up, on a Saturday morning I dad used

to watch the youth team at Forest before the first team game. Trevor

Francis made his debut on Saturday morning, down at the University of

Sunderland. Unbeaten in eight. Make sure we keep this going to the end

of the season. We have talked about this all week. Darren Wassall played

under Brian at Nottingham Forest and four matter years ago came to work

with Nigel as the Academy boss. cannot compete financially with

Cardiff and Blackburn and Forrest said we have to try to do it another

way. Everybody at the football club wants to be in the Premier League.

It may take a bit longer but it will be more satisfying when we get

there. Their academy has a growing reputation as one of the best in the

country but the problem for Nigel is the Championship derby are heading

for another meet table finish. Not all fans are patient. Points,

ultimately, is where you will be judged. Big as it is for the club as

well as the team on a Saturday afternoon. Is passion for building

youth is already reaping rewards. Will Hughes join the Academy at 13

and is now catching the eye of the Premier League, reportedly worth

seven to �10 million. He turned 18 this week and has already made 35

first-team starts this season. How inspiring is it for you as a young

player to see a real pathway to the first-team? Yes, it is a real family

environment and you can tell from the likes of those who have come

through. It is good work going on behind-the-scenes and it is not just

coincidence that people are coming through. Well, there are three

products of the youth academy in the Derby County squad today. One of

them the first 11, and they are going to have to be at their

energetic best because the Rams are not safe from relegation just yet.

At Pride Park they have made great progress this season with one of the

best home record in the division. It was clear from a commanding first

half that this would be their 11th win here in this campaign. In the

second half, two quick goals put the game beyond doubt. Over the top of

the keeper! And Derby are three up. With 28 minutes to go, the

goalkeeper fielding was sent off. And the resulting penalty was

successful. But Derby were always in charge. So, Derby are safe for

another season. They gun bans have played a huge part and 90 chief

executive is promising Nigel Clough six more players in the summer.

have young players that are the envy of the country but also we need more

senior players with more experience. But I honestly believe we are not

very far away. If we can get the right players in the summer we have

a very excited next season ahead at There is so much to admire about the

way Derby have gone about their business. No academy products have

played first-team football, six at Derby, three elsewhere on loan. --

nine Academy products. But the patience of the fans is growing

thinner by the season. Yes, the fans have to write in to what Nigel is

doing. He is trying to ring the youth in, reduce the wage bill. But

he is doing a good job with the budget that he has. And you speak to

a lot of Derby fans so you know what the general consensus is. Yes, when

you go back to the European Cup winning days and they have been

spoiled over the years with success and they want but back -- that back.

They are like the crew of the Championship, the way they have

developed their Academy. The Derby youth team this year have got to the

finals of their cup. It just shows you how strong they are at Academy

level. They have good people working there. You have just seen wassail.

They have strong backroom staff bringing the youth through. But we

have heard that they will hopefully keep on for next season. Because

that is what the fans ultimately desire. We heard them saying they

need to invest in a bit more experience and that is obviously a

missing ingredient. The fans want to get back up there competing at the

top level, in the top six. The last few finishes have been mid-table.

Made to Love, yes. The fans have been incredibly patient but... --

mid-table to load table, yes. The fans will start demanding from next

term. The rest of Saturday's goal action. Walsall's fantastic run to

the league one play-offs finally ran given the goal. A shot from Brandy!

He gives Walsall the lead. It hits the bar! In the end it is Sodje.

Somehow it has gone in. Bury have equalised with seconds to go.

a game we wanted to win and win comfortably. The pH did not allow us

to win but I am not excusing the players because they can play a lot

better. -- the pitch. It was a good victory for us. We played very well

today. COMMENTATOR: row would you believe it? After so much dominance

from the Sky Blues. I think we must at Shrewsbury, who saw his team

finally secured their League one satyrs after promotion last May. His

men are now four points clear of Scunthorpe and who knows, he could

well making -- he could well be making a return to Molineux next

season if his old team, Wolves got into League one. Back next week. We

leave you with some fantastic scenes from Mansfield with the Stags