Do we perform so badly in front of large away followings?

After a disappointing result at Burton on saturday a common opinion amongst Vale fans seems to be that the team freezes in front of large followings!
Has this been a common trait with Vale over the years?
This season would suggest mixed fortunes, poor performances at Macclesfield in front of nearly 2300 Vale fans and a 3-1 reserve at big spending Notts County when 1300 travelled were at least followed by positive returns at Shrewsbury and Crewe when over a 1000 and 2000 fans made the short journeys respectively!
However Vale's first competitive league trip to Burton at the weekend resulted in a tepid display when another excellent following of 1996 had made the effort!

From the Away End at Burton's Pirelli Stadium

With a couple more relatively short journeys still to come before the season winds up in May at Chesterfield and Rotherham in March can us hardy Valiants expect better as we aim to push up the table?
Recent evidence would suggest not, certainly in the case of the short treck through the peak district to Chesterfield! Oh dear! On numerous occasions in the last few years I've been part of large Vale followings on the terrace at Saltergate only to see an abject display be punished by the Derbyshire side! This year represents Vale's last chance to take something from Saltergate before Chesterfield move on to pastures new. Rotherham on the otherhand now playing at the Don Valley have seen mixed fortunes for Vale over the years. Aside from an Akpo Sodje masterclass in 2007 Vale haven't extracted too much change from the Yorkshire side with last seasons Boxing day surrender a more common showing!

So it seems a case of swings and roundabouts, going back to 2006 and the debacle from Martin Foyle's Vale in front of a sell out allocation at Crewe was followed by equally disastrous showings at Hereford and the above mentioned Chesterfield! Unfortunately suggesting 'tinman' didn't have too much luck with local games!
Brian Horton on the otherhand could claim an unbeaten record against local rivals Stoke during his tenure at Vale!

So who knows what we can expect? Lets hope the Valiant army descending on the English Rivera at the weekend are rewarded with a good time and most importantly 3 points!