Midfielder Manny Oyeleke says one of the main reasons why he joined the Vale from Aldershot over the summer was down the manager Neil Aspin, and his desire to sign him.

The 25 year old, who won Aldershot's Players' Player of the Season and Supporters Player of the Season this year, joined the Valiants on a 1 year deal at the start of June and was impressed as soon as he stepped inside Vale Park. 

The midfielder says there was many factors that made him want to join. Joining Vale offered Manny the opportunity to link up with a couple of players he had played with before such as Leon Legge and Idris Kanu, but ultimately it was the words of the gaffer that impressed Manny the most.

"I've played against the gaffer whilst he was at Gateshead. He knows my qualities and he was really interested in me and that impressed me when I came here as well. 

"I saw the stadium, how big the pitch was and that helps how I play. There was a load of things that went in favour of joining Port Vale and I was impressed with pretty much everything when I came here.

"I knew some of the players that he was bringing in, so I knew the gaffer was ambitious and that lead me to signing here." 

It's safe to say however that it's not been the ideal start for Manny, a frustrating one to say the least. Having trained well and worked hard during the pre season trip to Ireland, he was forced to sit out of the majority of friendlies due to injury.

A slight knock to the knee in training followed by a calf injury was a setback for the midfielder, but he says he's happy to be back at full fitness and get some minutes under his belt ahead of Cambridge this Saturday after a tough pre season. 

"I'm happy with where we are, where I am and I'm personally looking forward to the start of the season. As a player you know pre season is never easy wherever you go. I wouldn't say the manager has made us do more than anywhere else to where I've been.

"It's the mental strengh you need to get through regardless of what it is. We've done a lot of work on the tactical side of things as well as a lot of running, so I think the team feel like we're in a good place."