(Reuters) - Ex-Port Vale midfielder Ryan Burge has never made a secret of his grudge against the club but he took the feud to new heights after their relegation from League One earlier this month.
The 35-year-old said he flew an aircraft over the club's Vale Park ground on Saturday, mocking their drop into the fourth tier with a banner which read, 'She stood there laughing - N40,' referencing rivals Stoke City's anthem 'Delilah' by Tom Jones.
Port Vale, who were relegated following defeat by Bolton Wanderers on April 20, played Cambridge United on Saturday.
"Thank you to the Stoke City fans who paid me to do something I would have happily done for free," Burge wrote on Facebook after landing. "This is an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life."
Burge featured prominently in Vale's promotion to League One in 2012-13 but left after being suspended for missing a pre-match meal and later criticising manager Micky Adams on Twitter.
He also unsuccessfully applied to be Vale manager in 2017 following his retirement as a player.
Burge often mocks Vale fans on social media and refers to his former club as 'Port Fail.'
"Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Lots of Love, Player of the Year in your only automatic promotion season since 1994," he wrote on X, along with a picture of himself in a Vale jersey with 'No promotions without me' written on it.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
