BOSS LOOKS FOR STRONG FINISH

BOSS LOOKS FOR STRONG FINISH

But celebrations will continue regardless

three points to sign off the season on style. Vale make the journey this afternoon to prepare for the last match of the season, knowing that the pressure is now off them, but they will be looking for all

The match will see the last appearance as a player for former Vale favourite Gareth Ainsorth, who will concentrate on the manager’s job from then on.

But Micky Adams will be hoping to put a bit of a damper on the Wycombe player manager’s celebrations as his playing career draws to a close.

Vale will celebrate with the fans after the match, whatever the result, but a second place finish will be much sweeter for everybody concerned.

I think we deserve to finish second, but it is certainly not going to affect us if we don’t. The Vale boss said: “I have had a meeting with the boys and told them I want to finish second.

“I can see Rotherham beating Aldershot, with the greatest respect to Aldershot and I would like to sign off the campaign with a victory at Wycombe.

“Nothing has changed, other than the fact we have perhaps not done as much training as we should have done this week, so people will have to forgive us for that.

“But it doesn’t change the mentality that I have got and the mentality that hopefully the squad has got. We want to finish the season on a high and win the game, then we can celebrate our promotion.”

The players were given the early part of the week off following the promotion celebrations after the Northampton game, and they will go into the final match of the season nice and fresh after a few days off with their families.

The gaffer continued: “There was never any doubt that they were going to celebrate on Saturday night, because I did, and very much like the supporters did.

“Unfortunately for some of our supporters, they had to go back to work on the Monday nursing a hangover I presume.

“But I didn’t see any point in flogging the players. I’m not sure what that would have achieved. I gave them a bit of time with their families.

“I am a hard task master, they know that anyway, but they have had their reward this week, they have had a few days off.”

Players whose contracts run out this summer will be wondering exactly whether or not they are part of the manager’s plans for next season, but they will have to wait until next Wednesday before finding out.

Micky said: “I will announce the retain list on Wednesday when I have spoken to all of the players. It won’t come out until then, and we will move on from there.

“In every campaign there are casualties, and that is whether you are successful or you are not successful. The football club has to evolve and it has to get stronger.”