The Vale faithful have certainly travelled in their numbers so far this season, and on the latest episode of the club's official podcast, 'Talk of the Vale', Luke Joyce emphasised how much of a difference the fans make.
Joyce was joined on the podcast by Richie Bennett, David Worrall and Jake Taylor this week in the 'Carpool Edition', and the players explained the way in which the fans consistently get behind the boys during a match.
After selling out the likes of Salford, Crewe and Macclesfield, as well as taking 600 to Bradford on a Tuesday night, Vale’s number 4 described how the travelling Valiants can make an away day seem like a home game.
The Vale midfielder admitted that the atmosphere at Vale Park makes it a better place to play due to the noise generated by the fans, and admits that the supporters have played a massive part in the club's impressive start to the campaign.
“What I’ve experienced is when we are doing well and putting performances in, the fans are right behind you and create a brilliant atmosphere, it’s a proper football atmosphere, it’s a proper football club with a tradition and history and the fans are desperate for us to do well.
“That feeling when you get that winner and you can celebrate with the fans. I can still remember going to watch Bolton as a kid and you celebrate and we still have those feeling and if you could bottle it up and sell it, it would be priceless. We’ve had a few great moments this season and the fans have played a massive part in that, it’s just a good place to be and good place to play.
“Hopefully if we can get a few more down to Vale Park it will become a fortress because they do make a lot of noise, especially in the away games that’s unbelievable, the likes of Salford and Crewe, they pretty much take over the stadium, they’re proper football fans who make a lot of noise."
Featuring on the fourth edition of the podcast, Joyce emphasised how much he is enjoying his time at the Vale this season and explained the joys of coming into training every day.
Joyce has been at the club since May 2018, and was part of the side that survived relegation last term, and the midfielder has explained the vast improvement this season and is pleased with the direction in which the club is heading.
Askey has made numerous signings since taking over it January and with the squad looking a lot different to how it did 18 months ago, Joyce has praised the mix of experience within the changing room.
“As a place to come into work it’s been brilliant, much improved on last year, just enjoying the day-to-day work, its great that we’re winning games.
“There’s standards now there’s expectations, and just from a playing side you’re going out expecting to win games and that’s not in an arrogant way or a big-headed way, we’re just setting standards between ourselves.
“From a personal point of view, the changing room with the players that have come in have been not just good football players but good people as well, and we’ve got a very good changing room. It’s got a great mix of youth, experience, players from different backgrounds and everyone really is pulling in right direction and it’s a joy to come in every day.”
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