Port Vale: Adams is right man for revival, says Stockley

by Steve Shaw

CLUB captain Sam Stockley has praised Vale's ambition in charging former Premier League boss Micky Adams with the task of revitalising the club's flagging fortunes.

Adams, who has managed in the top flight with Leicester City, was appointed as Vale's new boss on Friday.

The 47-year-old's is understood to have signed a one-year contract, although it is thought he has the option of a further 12 months.

Stockley, aged 31, played under former managers Lee Sinnott and Dean Glover last season after being recruited from Wycombe last summer in the aftermath of their relegation from League One.

Both Sinnott and Glover, who took charge in early October last year, were unable to halt Vale's decline, with their combined efforts guiding them to a lowly 18th-placed finish in league Two.

But now Stockley believes the club have selected the right candidate to lead Vale towards a brighter future.

Stockley said: "It's a fantastic piece of recruitment from the board.

"I know that is easy for me to say as a player with a new manager coming in. But I've played against the gaffer's teams earlier in my career and he's managed some big clubs.

"Port Vale is a massive club as well, but they have been hanging around the lower leagues for too long. Ultimately, I think we now have the right man to pull us out of that.

"The nice thing about it from the players' point of view is he has no ties with the club and doesn't know anything about the players.

"So as a player there are no excuses. You either do it, and play to the best of your ability, and if you don't, you've only yourself to blame.

"You can only ask for that as a player."

Digging deep into his memory banks Stockley can recall playing against sides managed by Micky Adams during a career which has so far yielded more than 500 appearances.

In 1996-97 season Stockley, while playing for League Two outfit Barnet, came up against Fulham, where Adams started out on the managerial ladder.

The sides shared a 2-2 draw before Adams, left, led Fulham to promotion to League One later in the season.

Stockley also made four appearances against Adams's Brighton side between 1999-2001 while playing for Barnet, who went on to suffer three League Two defeats and one draw.

Once again he witnessed Adams work his magic as the Seagulls claimed the League Two Championship in 2000-01.

Stockley added: "He will play football that suits us.

"If that means playing in exciting games in which we get the ball down and pass it through teams, plus getting it wide and getting crosses in, then, we'll do that.

"But if we have to go long then we'll do that as well.

"I think that's the beauty of his sides – they can adapt to the game they are playing in. It will be worked on and set out exactly how he wants us to play and we have to follow rules.

"But it's not going to be a crash, bang wallop team. He was a player and we have got good players at the club.

"We'll be allowed to express ourselves, which is what you want as a player, but there will be formations and structures to guide us."