Versatile forward Louis Dodds believes it is vital Vale keep moral high going into tonight’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy first-round match against Bury (19.15).

Dodds is widely regarded as the changing rooms chief practical joker, the Vale attacker is happy to keep the mood in the squad high when results aren’t going Vale’s way.

He said: “I think we have got enough in the changing room where there is people like myself and Pope, we have to keep everyone jolly because obviously it’s not nice losing but it’s even worse when you come into work when everyone is down in the dumps and it feels a bit like a morgue.

“You have to pick everyone up and get on with it; we’ve got enough in the changing room to get over that,” he explained.

Dodds says putting a smile back on his teammates faces is a role he has acquired during his time at the club.

“I think you’ve always got to keep smiling, my dad always says you’ve got to keep smiling because there’s no point in being down in the dumps.

“I do see it as a bit of my role, try and keep everyone happy, I think a lot of the lads might say I go too far sometimes.”

Vale host Bury tonight (19.15) and Dodds will be hoping to see smiles back on the faces of Vale players after back-to-back 3-1 defeats against Oldham Athletic and Wolves.

Dodds could make his first start of the season if manager Micky Adams uses him as one of his five permitted changes – Vale must include six players who started the defeat to Wolves tonight as per the competition rules.

One player that will not be playing is defender Daniel Jones who picked up a groin injury in the first-half on Saturday.

“It’s my role, I’ve got to keep everyone happy and hopefully that will bode well for the confidence in the group.”

“They look physical and direct, they are free scoring at the minute so we’re going to have to be on our guard.

“It’s going to be a good game hopefully we can win it.

“I think Kevin Blackwell has got them working really well and like you say we might be odds-on favourites on paper but we might have an absolute stinker and they could be fantastic.

“We have to make sure we’re right and hopefully the result will look after itself.”