You ready then? Excited? So am I. So are my players. The truth is we can’t wait for our first competitive home fixture tonight against Sunderland.
Your club now has a fit, hungry and supremely professional group of players who carry with them a terrific spirit.
It’s a spirit which has been forged through a summer of hard graft, intensive training and team-bonding.
Many new faces have arrived at Vale Park in recent months but, as anyone at the club will tell you, the squad has gelled seamlessly and it feels like that this group of players have been together for much longer.
As always, expectations at the beginning of any season will be high – which is as it should be. My players and backroom team are fully aware that the hopes and dreams of supporters of all ages rest on their performances.
What can we promise you? Honesty. Integrity. That your team will work hard in every game right to the whistle. That they’ll give everything for the badge and for you, the fans, who have supported your club so magnificently through unprecedented times.
We will endeavour to win every single game we play. And win, draw or lose I can promise you we will learn from every game.
We won’t get ahead of ourselves or get carried away with results. Your team will look to improve week-on-week. We’ll have a razor-like focus on each game as it comes.
We’ll reset after each fixture and I’d ask you, the fans – our twelfth man so to speak – to adopt the same mindset. To stay grounded. To stick with us.
As a club, a team and a supporter-base we will build together. In order to do that we need to support each other through good times and challenging times.
We must stay humble, stay focused and believe in ourselves.
I look forward to seeing you tonight for a special homecoming – our first competitive fixture at Vale Park in a long, long time.
Thank you for keeping the faith.