Port Vale: We're happy to be top dogs now, says hot-shot Richards
MARC Richards believes Vale are now better equipped to handle the pressures of life at the top after climbing back to the summit of League Two, writes Steve Shaw.
The 14-goal striker, pictured below, helped Vale top the table for the first time this season during a five-match winning sequence in September.
But the achievement then sparked a run of one win in four games which saw the team slip back again until last week's 5-0 romp at Stockport saw them reclaim top spot.
"It was nice being top earlier in the season, but it was definitely a learning curve because there was a lot of pressure on us to keep winning," admitted Richards.
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"Although we weren't losing games, we weren't picking up maximum points, but now we're nine games further on we should handle the pressure better.
"The style of football we're playing at the moment also proves how confident we are."
Vale hold a one-point lead over second-placed Chesterfield ahead of Saturday's home clash with League Two newcomers Stevenage.
But they head into the game full of confidence after Friday's 1-0 FA Cup home victory over Accrington extended their unbeaten run to 11 games and secured a fourth successive win.
Stevenage sit 11th in the table, but held Micky Adams's men to a 1-1 draw at Vale Park last season in the FA Cup before narrowly losing the first-round replay 1-0.
"We don't take any game lightly and Stevenage gave us two difficult games last season," added Richards, who is still receiving treatment for a minor knee injury.
"They're a big, strong side, but they like to pass the ball and they're no mugs."
Meanwhile, former youth team striker Anthony Malbon still hopes to play at Football League level again, despite leaving Vale to join Leek Town.
The 19-year-old, who has joined the Evo-Stik First Division South side for the rest of the season, said: "It was my decision to leave Vale, but I am not going to stop believing I can play in the Football League. I will get a chance somewhere and I will try to take it."
Malbon joined Vale from Derby in February 2008 and made his first-team debut in the Valiants 2-1 win over Barnet on May 2, 2009.
He won Vale's Youth Player of the Year award after scoring 23 goals last term.
Malbon spent a three-week period at Harrison Park in February, scoring two goals on debut, and said: "To be honest, I wanted to go back to Leek, so when I got the phone call I wanted to sign as quick as possible."
He made his Blues debut last week when Neil Cox's men drew 2-2 with Romulus.
Comments
by Eddie, Cape Town , South Africa
Saturday, December 04 2010, 12:47PM
“My first Port Vale game was at the Recreation Ground when Ronnie Allen kicked the ball 3 times into Leon Leuty's ( Notts County ) midriff on the corner flag. I was at the Vale Park opening of the new floodlights bought from West Brom who lost the game 5-2 .I saw the Blackpool defeat and many others and knew Bill McGarry , Albert leake , Stan Steele ( played with him in SA )etc But that was all a long time ago. I am now a Stoke fan but always support Vale and cannot understand these stupid guys who hate one or the other club. I hope the Vale stay at the top and get promoted to Div. 1 and progress further. The heady days of 1953/4 are long gone but I am sure that beautiful pitch is still like it was. I remember taking a corner there and the pitch was like a bowling green , raised in the centre and you could just see the top of the flag diagonally across from where I stood.Good luck for the rest of the season and let's hope that Stoke end up with a top 8 place !!”
by Paul, Birches Head
Tuesday, November 30 2010, 8:32PM
“Jason, thank you for taking time out to not only read about Vale but to make various comments too,so you have obviously checked the Vale section more than once!! It must be great to be all the way up there in the BIG league ,but can you remember ever playing at The Victoria Ground not so long ago and you were in the baby league with us. And your crowds were not so clever so they charged you a fiver to get in, you have a short memory my Essex friend!! Also I must correct you on your spelling I know its most likely to be a slip of the finger in your excitement of reading about our football team but its spelt V A L E there is not a F or an I in the word. All the best and I hope Santa brings you everything you asked him for especially that V A L E scarf to keep your little neck warm this winter.”
by Aspin4England, Exiled
Tuesday, November 30 2010, 5:29PM
“Now is definitely the time to push on, i think a big positive is even when we haven't played well we have still got at least a point. It is also of note to see the strength we have defensively. If we remain strong there we will go up. The team that concedes the least always do well the same isn't said for the team that score the most as has been proven many times.
Jason - Bring your banter, all in the name of fun, I genuinely hope you are a proper Stoke fan and not a plastic premiership one. What is really nice is that now you are "world beaters" and scaling heights and overachieving you STILL care about how Vale are doing...great to hear "we hate vale" on your televised game...it is so nice to still be thought of!!! Love you...”
by valeite, brindley ford
Tuesday, November 30 2010, 5:10PM
“just remind me dagenham is in essex isn,t it? NUFF SAID all marf and trousers”
by jason, dagenham
Tuesday, November 30 2010, 4:27PM
“Mike
You fail fans will never cease to amaze me, just because you get a bit of banta from a Stoke fan you automatically think they are school kids , For your information I¿m not a school kid and yes I do have a season ticket. I like every Stoke fan will always enjoy a dig at fail, for 1 simple reason and 1 reason only, because we enjoy seeing how you squirm because you know everything we say is true.
Good luck for the rest of the season, i do truly wish you well , and hope you can make it to the dizzy heights of division 1.”
by john, Eaton Park
Tuesday, November 30 2010, 3:42PM
“Well stated Mike Stoke you forgot one small detail a lot of schools have closed today due to the weather & that incluedes speicial schools so mummy must be supervising him on the computer.”
by Mike, Stoke
Tuesday, November 30 2010, 3:30PM
“Jason,
Question 1: Are aged between 12-16 because that's about the levels of your come back.
Question 2: Do you really have a season ticket? I really do doubt that as EVERY Stoke fan seems to have one forgetting there are only 20,000 available we have got used to the Potters bull....!
Question 3: Why do you want to laugh at an in form team, albeit in league 2. You alot are doing well, you got your lucky break in Peter Coates and have built well on that. If the Iceland consortium were still there you would be lower than us. We have struggled through very hard times in terms of finance and players (and managers). Let's see what happens when the Prem dream is over! Mushroom fans like you will disappear again!”
by jason, Dagenham
Tuesday, November 30 2010, 2:04PM
“graham, Chell Heath
I have and will continue to enjoy every season, and yes thank you as a season ticket holder I go every stoke game home and most away. Helps being close to the capital to see the London away matches.
Darren, Manchester
the relevance in this article was to laugh at a division 2 side as myself and many stoke fans do on a daily basis ¿ why would a manc be on a stoke on trent website ¿”
by Darren, Manchester
Tuesday, November 30 2010, 11:56AM
“Fail to see any relevance in this story for you Jason?? bit bored are we ?? stick to lard pages please,,”
by graham, Chell Heath
Tuesday, November 30 2010, 11:05AM
“oh another Stoke fan bringing vale down now they are doing well, being in dagenham I suppose it's difficult on seeing the mighty potters every game, enjoy your season!”