Burge Row Deepens Vale Gloom

Whisper it quietly but Vale currently sit third in League Two. Not that you would know it as recent events are starting to make Jim Gannon`s colourful spell in charge look like a Sunday afternoon picnic. Last night`s defeat at Bristol Rovers continued Vale`s wretched form. However, scratch beneath the surface and things begin to look a lot more worrying.

Manager Micky Adams' recent behaviour has resembled that of someone who has lost the plot. Confused selection policy, apparent favouritism of certain players over others and what is increasingly looking a dissatisfied, sulky dressing room. Quite why a manager of Adams` experience has felt the need to pick an unnecessary fight with supporters at such a crucial stage of the season is mystifying. Personal abuse of the manager and players cannot be tolerated, but Adams` assertion that we supporters should remember that his players were playing for nothing 12 months ago irks greatly. 12 months ago supporters dug extremely deep financially and emotionally to ensure that they still had a football club to support. Both the players and manager have been afforded a great deal of latitude and support over recent years and being forced to sit through a load of dross on a freezing cold night in Bristol to be told so doesn`t sit well. Adams must surely know that you pick a fight with supporters and there is only one winner. Not that there will be one in this case.

Much goodwill remains. Supporters, starved of success, want nothing more than to see Vale secure promotion. So why does it seem as if the club is imploding? The pathetic public spat that has emerged between midfielder Ryan Burge and Adams reflects well on no one, but is indicative of the current mood at Vale Park. Burge, who missed last night`s game as he was late for the pre-match meal, tweeted his anger at being told to go home when five minutes from the ground. While few could blame Adams for that, the subsequent slanging match is doing little to improve morale. With Doug Loft and Sam Morsy suspended for Saturday`s trip to York, this latest development couldn`t have come at a worse time.

With eight games remaining there is no reason why Vale can`t achieve promotion. But first, those with the real power must stop the blame game and address the current problems. They will have our support until the very end.

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