As Port Vale descend upon their final home game of the 2017-18 season, David Worrall reflects on his first season in Vale shirt.
Worrall joined the Vale at the beginning of the season after mutually terminating his contract with Millwall following the conclusion of the Lions’ 2016-17 promotion campaign, and thinks he can do better in the white of Port Vale: “I don’t think it has been good enough because we have been fighting relegation. I don’t think you can say you have had a good season when you have been fighting relegation all year.
“It’s been tough, so next season hopefully we will be up there fighting for something, and then I can turn around and say that I have had a good season.”
Little to his knowledge, but Vale’s number 10 is on the shortlist for the Player of the Season award, which is to be revealed following the Carlisle United game, yet, he still wants to put this season behind him and push on: “Well I did not know that [about his Player of the Season nomination], but it would be good.”
He continued: “It is just one them seasons that you want to forget about quickly, spend some time with your family for a few weeks and get straight back in. Get the running out of the way in pre-season, get ready for the new season and get a buzz around the place and a winning mentality.”
After being involved in a relegation fight for the majority of the season, Worrall speaks on the effects that it can have on a player: “When you are down there it is just horrible. You do get into some dark places. You worry, you are going home worrying about it and you can feel that it is tough for the fans and the staff here.”
However, he reveals how important the older players in the squad have been in the upkeep of morale: “We have got a very good squad and I think the older lads pulled us through it to be fair to them.
“They never let anyone get too down or frustrated and got them ready for the next game.”
Further, he feels that the squad can take from this season to ensure that they do not find themselves in a similar position next season: “Nobody wants to be in that place again, we do not want to be playing against Cheltenham and getting pumped like that, and then playing your Luton’s and beating them 4-0 - there was no consistency and them results show that.
“We know what we need to do, and if it does not wake you up then you are probably at the wrong place.”