Midfielder to keep playing his game
Defensive midfielder Anthony Griffith is determined to keeping playing the way he knows, even if it means he will pick up the occasional yellow card as a consequence.
The combative midfielder partnered Chris Lines in the centre of midfield on Saturday, with Griffith shielding the back four to allow fellow new signing Lines the freedom to play further forward.
The former Doncaster player knows he will always be at risk of getting his name in the book but insists he is happy to do the midfield dirty work to help the team achieve success
Griffith explained: “It’s all part of growing up for me because you do silly tackles and sending offs in the past and once you’ve got it out of your system you do learn.
“That doesn’t stop me putting my foot in because that’s my style of game but once you’ve got your yellow card you need to calm down a little bit and ease back.
“That sort of kills my game really but you have got to learn from your mistakes and that’s what I’ve done in the past.”
The versatile midfielder admits he went through a spell in the past where he was overcautious and to wary of ending up in the referee’s book.
“I’m not saying I’m not going to pick up bookings because I am obviously going to with the tackles that I make.
“I went through a season once where I was a bit hesitant to get bookings; it didn’t do me any favours to be honest.
“He (Micky Adams) was a bit upset that I was trying not to get bookings; I was hesitant going into certain tackles,” said Griffith.
He added: “You’ve just got to play the way you want and that’s the way I am.
“I just play with no fear and that’s the way I am.”
Griffith acknowledges it would be nice for Vale to go on a cup run as Vale host Walsall in the Capital One Cup first-round tonight (19.45), but insists they can also do well in the league.
“It would be nice (to go on a cup run) I think we can still do really well in the league, a cup run would be nice, it would be brilliant for the fans and the club but we can do really well in the league if the cups not there as a distraction,” he said.