Calvin Andrew feels Vale can compete at a higher level

Calvin Andrew yesterday signed a contract to keep him at Vale Park until the end of the season and all he wants to do now is to try and force his way into the team.

The former Crystal Palace man said: “Coming here, I think the manager was not sure how fit I was going to be, but I knew I had looked after myself during the summer.

“Really it has just been about getting the fitness right and getting back into the swing of things after having three months off from football, but I feel I have got there now and I am ready to go.

“You can train as much as you want, but you will never get the same as you do in a game of football, but I feel I have had a good few minutes on the pitch and I feel ready to go now.

“Up to now I have sat back and it has been difficult because the lads have done so well and you can never really just walk into the team and start games when the team is doing this well.

“I have waited my turn and sat on the side watching the lads putting in good performances, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter who is picked for the team as long as we get the right results.

Since he first joined the club on loan, Andrew has been impressed with what he has seen and he believes we have everything in place to be able to compete at a higher level.

“We have got a good set-up here. I have been at a lot of clubs in and around the Championship and the set-up here is not too far off that level.

“The squad is very capable as well – that was the first thing I remember saying to my Dad when he rang me.

“There are some decent players here and they can move the ball and pass it properly, which I should have expected from a Micky Adams team anyway, but there is definitely the material to go up to the next level.”