Manager details the challenges of bridging the gap to the top six in League One following last season’s promotion.

• Darrell Clarke | “League One to the Championship is the biggest jump”
• Port Vale manager discusses his side’s performance against Derby County, club development and player recruitment ahead of Saturday’s trip to Cheltenham Town
• Clarke: “It is important that the message is out there that it is not just about the money that is spent on the pitch and in transfer windows, the money has to be spent in all areas of the football club to keep on improving it. That has to come into consideration because the support we get is outstanding.”

Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke says bridging the gap between League One and the Championship is – in his opinion – the biggest jump in divisions to take.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to Cheltenham Town, the Vale boss explained that the club is hungry to keep improving and making steps as a club to bridge that gap in the right way.

“I think it is the biggest jump now, if I am honest with you, League One to the Championship,” he explained. “The gulf from the big clubs in this division is massive, but it’s not that it can’t be done. That is why I get out of bed in the morning and we have hungry people at this football club; myself, David Flitcroft, my staff, that want to keep making sure that we do get better and better.

“This club has come a hell of a long way in 23 months and we are competing hard; we have been in most games and we want to keep improving, that is always my question to my players, can they keep improving and getting better?

 “We have had a couple of disappointing results but performance-wise – certainly against Derby – was a lot, lot better. We want to win; we want to focus on getting better, trying to improve, but effort, determination and attitude, the lads are giving everything they can.”

Clarke was asked about potential additions to his squad before January’s transfer window shuts next week, and while the manager stressed he and his recruitment team are working hard to find the right players for his squad, he also stressed the importance of respecting the need for the club develop on and off the pitch.

“We have come so far as a football club but there are also aspects of the football club that need to be improved,” Clarke continued. “The Shanahan family have been amazing through their support and the money they have put into the football club, but we are still a fair distance away from trying to get into the Championship. Whether that be the pitch or the training ground, for example, all these things need to be improved and that comes over time.

“It is important that the message is out there that it is not just about the money that is spent on the pitch and in transfer windows, the money has to be spent in all areas of the football club to keep on improving it. That has to come into consideration because the support we get is outstanding.

“Sometimes you have to have a good reset, look where we are at and need to go and do it in the right manner to build a football club, which is what we want to do.

“There have been a lot of areas within the club that have improved in the 23 months I have been here; getting the new training zone, ice baths, heating baths, all things that have contributed to us getting points on the football pitch. There are still a lot of areas that we need to improve on, but we have to keep growing every aspect to make sure that when we do feel that we can really compete and get ourselves into the top six in the division, that we are ready as a football club.”