League Two

Port Vale v Chesterfield (3pm)

by Steve Shaw

FORMER Port Vale midfielder Paul Harsley will be striving to help the Spireites grab the spoils at Vale Park tomorrow ... and help breathe life into his own campaign.

The 30-year-old has made only five starts for Chesterfield this season after making the switch during the summer.

He has made 14 league appearances, but his last start was two months ago in Chesterfield's 3-1 defeat at Lincoln.

Harsley was also named as a substitute by boss Chesterfield boss Ian Richardson on Tuesday night, when their FA Cup replay with Droylsden was abandoned due to floodlight failure.

However, the midfielder's first-team prospects are enhanced for tomorrow's game as fellow midfielders Lloyd Kerry and Jamie Winter are both suspended, having picked up five bookings apiece.

Harsley said: "I'm looking forward to coming back, although I'm not sure if I'll be playing because I've not played a lot of football this season.

"I haven't had any injury problems, it's just that the manager has been trying to come up with the right blend in midfield as nothing has really been working.

"Things were going quite well at the start of the season, but then I found myself out of the side and I've not really been given a run in the team since then.

"But I have had no problem with Ian (Richardson). It's just a case of being out of the side and getting on with it. But hopefully I'll be able to play some part tomorrow."

Harsley spent two years in Burslem and made 82 appearances for the club, scoring six goals.

He was offered a new two-year deal, but after considering his options, decided to join the Spireites on the same length of contract.

"I spoke to the chairman (Bill Bratt) and he showed me what they wanted to offer me and where the club was financially," said Harsley.

"I was offered a deal which was financially worse than what I was already on so, at that time, I had to look at other offers.

"The talks with Chesterfield were positive and with the move taking me closer to my family I couldn't really turn down their offer."

And despite his inactivity this season, he added: " I'm still enjoying my time at Chesterfield. I get on with the lads, we have a good team and a great support, although I just want to play football. But I could have stayed at Port Vale and could have found myself in the same position."

Chesterfield finished just one place outside the League Two play-off places last season, but have laboured at times during the current campaign.

They are winless in their last six matches, while some fans vented their anger at Richardson when they fell to a 4-2 defeat against Macclesfield in their last League Two outing.

Richardson can, however, count on the striking prowess of star forwards Jack Lester and Jamie Ward.

The pair have hit 22 league goals between them this season with 22-year-old Ward leading the division's goalscoring chart with 13. Lester trails on nine goals, just one ahead of Vale's top marksman, Marc Richards.

Richardson will also be without suspended defender Alan Goodall tomorrow, while midfielder Derek Niven is missing after he was diagnosed with a mild form of testicular cancer.

Vale boss Dean Glover is without injured midfielders Simon Richman (ankle), Dave Brammer (knee) and Shane Tudor (knee). Goalkeeper Joe Anyon is also a doubt after tweaking his ankle ligaments in training earlier this week.

Loan midfielder Scott Brown is back in contention after missing last week's defeat at Bury with a calf strain.

Meanwhile, Harsley is hoping for a good reception when he re-emerges at Vale Park tomorrow.

A full-blooded competitor, Harsley finished last season as the club's captain and was voted as the fans' player of the year.

He says he enjoyed his time in Burslem and is convinced Glover is the man to lead Vale to success.

Harsley added: "I always gave 100 per cent, which hopefully people recognised."