'Confidence is an issue but players must now step up'

PHIL Sproson believes the onus is on Port Vale’s players to get the club out of the mess they are in at the bottom of League One.

- Clive Youlton

The club's legendary defender was speaking on BBC Radio Stoke about the Valiants’ current predicament in the third tier and the future of manager Darren Moore.

He totally understands the fans are not happy with the situation at Vale Park at the moment.

Speaking about Vale being bottom of League One from his own point of view, he said: “The fans are frustrated. They had a season last year when they got promoted. Things were going great. This year it's not worked so far. We have been disappointing.

“After a good game against Cardiff there were all these expectations that we were going to kick on. And do quite well. A few injuries have not helped but we just haven't lived up to expectations and some of the performances have been poor.

“We didn’t test the keeper against Lincoln and we should have done. Look at the Plymouth game. Plymouth were a poor side and we should have put them to the sword. We had ample opportunities to win the game. We didn’t and that angers and frustrates the fans.”

On whether the players are good enough, he added: “We are devoid of confidence. You can see that the way we play. But something has got to change.