Port Vale: What was said about the Roy Sproson statue

IT HAS taken a lot of hard work, but it's great to see such an icon of the club honoured in this way.

Football is one thing that links everyone in the community together and it's only right that the club celebrates its heritage.

It's a great tribute to a unique footballing family, to football in general and to the area as a whole and I hope this becomes an inspiration to the club, its players and supporters.

GORDON TAYLOR OBE,

PFA chief executive

THIS is one of the biggest days in Port Vale's history.

No-one else has achieved anything like this and it couldn't have happened to a better person.

Roy was a fantastic player and a fantastic man.

His family is all about the club and you've got to admire them.

Roy was also the most consistent player I've ever seen. Football came naturally to him and he could have played at any level. He was a natural, so to stay here for so long makes him a true legend.

He was a modest man who never courted publicity, but he would have loved this.

COLIN ASKEY, former team-mate of Roy Sproson

I'D LIKE to pay tribute to the people who made this happen, those who love Vale and who've never given up.

They were going to do it by hook or by crook and no matter how long it took them.

That's what being a Vale supporter is all about and we can really be proud.

The statue can be a link from the past to the future, and I hope everyone can join together and feel proud of what has been achieved.

JOAN WALLEY MP

THE statue will be a constant reminder of Roy's efforts for this club. He's an iconic figure and an inspiration too.

It's extremely important to celebrate history like this and we must never forget it.

The city council has done all it can to support the club and one of the reasons is because of its rich history.

Today is a celebration of that and what the club means to the community.

MOHAMMED PERVEZ, Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader

IT SEEMS like only yesterday when we came up with the idea, but we've finally got Roy back to the club.

It's the people's statue. It's down to the man in the street and it shows what can be achieved.

It has taken a long time, but I was always confident it would happen in the end. But I can't thank the Supporters' Club enough for helping raise the money to finish it off.

TONY BOULT, original member of Sproson Fund

ROY was a man mountain who would have got into my team for sure – especially as he was over 6ft tall. He would have got into Tony Pulis's Stoke City team anyway.

I think the statue will have inspirational effect and will be something for future generations.

MICKY ADAMS, Port Vale boss

THE statue looks fantastic. Our neighbours down the road have a statue to their own hero (Sir Stanley Matthews), and now we've got ours. It's fantastic to see.

GARETH OWEN, Port Vale player

LOTS of clubs would love the opportunity to celebrate one of their heroes, so it's a marvellous moment. It's great that we're paying tribute to a family who've been dedicated to this club for so many years.

The family has well over 1,000 appearances between them and that will never be bettered.

HOWARD STEPHENSON, fan, Birches Head