Club celebration has to be marked with a vital victory

BOSS Jon Brady will know that this Saturday's home game against Exeter City is pivotal to Port Vale’s League One survival hopes.

- PORT Vale writer CLIVE YOULTON

Simply, Vale have to start winning to make up a huge deficit - and that’s only the half of it. It’s not just about them.

‘The clubs above the relegation line, from 20th upwards, will all consider themselves to be having decent seasons.

They sit on 29 points or better, with just a six-point gap to 10th place where Mansfield currently sit.

Those clubs are all picking up points regularly, which means in reality, Vale are even further behind than the four victories they will need just to catch up.

‘The likes of Blackpool, Wigan, Burton, AFC Wimbledon and Leyton Orient are unlikely to be where they are in five games time.

What's worse, Northampton are below the relegation line and are also on 29 points, while third-bottom Doncaster won last Saturday and are just three points off that.

It doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the Valiants.

Vale have the worst home record in the division. The worst goals scored tally, with a measly 18 from 24 matches. Five of those came in one game. They've lost more games than any other team and they have the joint worst goal difference.

After his first league game in charge, Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Mansfield, Brady said his players needed to be more clinical... which we have heard all season.