Port Vale boss John Askey was at the Nigel Doughty Academy on Tuesday to cast his eye over the very best of Nottingham Forest's young stars.
An Under-23s side featuring Zac Clough took to the field to take on Vale's first-team in a training day in the City, arranged by Vale legend Phil Sproson.
Sproson, 59, made over 400 appearances during his time at Vale Park during the 1970s and 80s and, despite never wearing Gariabaldi, has a number of contacts at the City Ground as agent to some of the club's rising stars, including Joe Worrall.
And the two sides met with Askey keen to form a fruitful partnership that he hopes will allow Vale to have their pick of the Reds' best youth players ahead of their upcoming campaign.
Last season, midfielder Toby Edser and defender Adam Crookes both moved to the Burslem club on loan before Crookes made his move permanent last month, having impressed his loan boss.
Tyler Walker also enjoyed a impressive loan in League Two with Mansfield Town, scoring 26 goals and returning to the club this summer with a loan move to League One with Coventry City now reportedly on the cards.
Following a morning training session, Vale left 4-3 winners on the day and Askey praised Forest's hospitality.
"We got a lot out of it," he told Stoke Sentinel.
"We were able to not only play the game but also do some training here. It was a good full morning and then a good workout as regards the game, and we have been able to do the normal training we do as well.
"We killed two birds with one stone...and we have had a change of scenery as well."
