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Port Vale’s Tom Pope educated his Twitter followers he would shine in opposition to John Stones, duly did so and – despite FA Cup defeat – appropriate about ended up with a Manchester Metropolis souvenir for his efforts.
The 34-year-stale striker could possibly no longer agree with dreamed after his summer tweet, pointing out he would “get 40 a season” playing in opposition to Stones, that they would face off in the FA Cup six months later.
After heading the equaliserin a Third-spherical tie Vale finally misplaced 4-1,Pope questioned if he changed into as soon as given the frigid shoulder from Stones’ crew-mates as he regarded to swap shirts with a Metropolis well-known person after the recreation.
“I managed to get Zinchenko’s – the leisure of them pied me off,” he educated BBC Sport.
“I by no manner dreamed I’d discover and would agree with been joyful to agree with about a touches.”
‘It be in point of fact 50 a season’
In June, after staring at England lose to the Netherlands on tv, the susceptible Bury, Rotherham and Crewe forward wrote: “I know I am a League Two player, I know he performs for England, I know he is on £150K a week, I know he is a million times greater player than me nonetheless I’d be pleased to play in opposition to John Stones every week!
“I’d get 40 a season.”
Straight after defeat at Etihad Stadium, he tweeted: “I’d appropriate be pleased to yell I changed into as soon as entirely snide and bang out of repeat to yell I’d discover 40 a season….. it be extra be pleased 50.”
A beautiful glancing header duly gave Pope one aim from one recreation in opposition to the Premier League winner.
Port Vale’s Twitter story promptly known as for his or her front man to be given “a knighthood just precise-wanting now”, nonetheless goals from Zinchenko, Sergio Aguero, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Phil Foden had been sufficient to send holders Metropolis into spherical four.
Selfies, wine and laughs at Popey
Both sets of players shared selfies in the Manchester Metropolis changing room after the fixture, and Vale supervisor John Askey acknowledged: “Metropolis could possibly no longer agree with handled us any greater.
“They agree with in point of fact sorted us. They invited the players in after the recreation and they’ve been having a piece of fun, especially about Popey and John Stones as you have to have the opportunity to take into accout of.
“Tom can be on Twitter tonight. I’m hoping he doesn’t get himself into effort.
“I want he didn’t attain it, because ceaselessly it will wind the opposition up, nonetheless if he goes and does ratings, then you have to have the opportunity to’t argue.
“He tries to realize it in a funny manner and there could be no longer forever any hurt in what he does. It causes him extra problems than it does the football membership.”
Askey changed into as soon as invited to fraction a glass of wine with Pep Guardiola after the defeat and acknowledged the Metropolis boss confirmed himself to be a “appropriate gent”.
“When the equaliser went in, did you think you had a huge gamble,” Askey educated BBC Sport.
“I changed into as soon as waiting for any person to pinch me and wake me up. No, I believed I changed into as soon as dreaming. It wasn’t appropriate that it changed into as soon as a aim, it changed into as soon as the manner it changed into as soon as scored as properly.
“I am appropriate a piece disappointed with the goals that we conceded – two had been VAR choices which agree with been internal a whisker of being offside – and the most vital one changed into as soon as a deflected shot that changed into as soon as going wide. I couldn’t agree with in point of fact agree with requested noteworthy extra from my players.”