What have you made of Vale's start to the season?

"It's early days but the signs are that we are potentially short of goals. The club are targeting new strikers but many fans, including me, wonder if it's the lack of service that is the bigger issue.

"As for expectations... well, the chairman has made it clear that he expects the club to be challenging the top six by Christmas or he will revert to "Plan B".

"The fans are very much split - some see the continental approach as groundbreaking, a way to break the mould and that the club could challenge for promotion playing an exciting brand of football.

"Some think the wholesale changes and untested foreign signings could be a recipe for disaster.

"We'll have to wait and see which ones are proven right but for the good of the club I do hope we prove the critics wrong."

Blues fans will know all about Anthony Grant. Is his future at Port Vale still uncertain?

"I think Anthony Grant will remain with Vale until at least the end of the season when his contract expires.

"He was our player of the season last campaign and manager Bruno Ribeiro has already said that Grant is a very important player.

"Even though Grant (or as chairman Norman Smurthwaite puts it - his agent) has asked for his name to be circulated, Vale are demanding a very high price for him and it is unlikely that any rival clubs will be prepared to pay that much for a 29 year-old with a year left on his contract.

"For those reasons, I think he'll stay and I'm delighted he is staying as he's a vital player for Vale."

What Port Vale players do we need to keep an eye on?

"It's at the back that Vale are arguably the most impressive.

"I would imagine most clubs would love to see a young local lad come through the ranks and force his way into the first-team and in Nathan Smith, Vale have one of those players.

"He went on loan to Torquay last season and was so impressive he won both their player of the year and young player of the year awards.

"Bruno Ribeiro says he has been the most impressive player in pre-season and he's now probably one of the first names on the team sheet.

"It's a meteoric rise for a 20 year-old from Madeley."

How do you see Saturday's game going?

"I understand that Southend have the opposite problems to the Vale in that they are strong upfront and weak at the back so I would guess all that points to a draw.

"However, this is Vale's first home game of the season and with the crowd behind them I would hope the Valiants would get off to a winning start."