Vale's latest signing hopes opposing supporters get on his back
Lee Hughes will hope he is selected to play at Gillingham tomorrow afternoon against a manager he knows well, and who tried to scupper the deal to the Vale recently by tempting him to join the Kent club.
He said: “Martin Allen phoned me at 6.47 in the morning. I get on well with Martin, he’s a good manager, he’s a bit like Micky in that he wants you to work hard.
“He knows I will work hard and he wanted me down there, but I told him I had already given my word to Port Vale and I wanted to sign here.
“I am from Birmingham and all my family are from there so it was an easy choice. I nearly signed here when I first started playing.
“It was close then but West Brom came in for me and that was the team I supported at the time, so I chose them, but I am glad I am here now.”
Tomorrow’s top of the table clash is the big game of the day in League Two, but as far as the former Notts County striker is concerned, there is nothing for Vale to fear.
Hughes will have to wait until Saturday morning before he finds out whether or not he will be in Vale’s starting line-up, but he just wants the team to do well.
He said: “The lads know what is at stake and they will knuckle down and hopefully will play well and get the three points that we need.
“I am not expecting anything. I have not come here to say I should be playing. The lads are doing well and if I start I start.
“I would be buzzing if I start, but if I don’t, I just want the team to win and hopefully play some part in it.
“Tom Pope has done so well. I have been watching him as the goals have been going in and hopefully I can help him push on to get more goals.
Hughes is the type of player who always attracts abuse from opposing supporters, but he says it helps him rather than hinder him and doesn’t want it to stop.
“I always get stick everywhere I go, but they tend to gee you up. When I score they tend to go a bit quiet after that. Hopefully I can wind a few of the away fans up and stick a few goals in the back of the net.
Rotherham fans told me they hammered me and I always seemed to score against them, so perhaps they ought to leave me alone, but as far as I am concerned the more abuse the better.”