Steve Davis says records and form don't count for too much on derby day

Steve Davis says the club’s impressive record at Vale Park won’t count for too much tomorrow. The Alex boss has stated that his players enjoy playing on the wide Vale Park pitch, but he admits that our recent good run of results in Staffordshire doesn’t matter.

In fact, Steve admits that tomorrow’s eagerly anticipated derby clash will be different now than Rob Page is in charge instead of Mickey Adams.

Crewe won 2-1 at Gresty Road back in September, thus recording our first League win of the season after a poor start but Davis feels it will be two very different sides from that day.

Steve told the club’s official web-site: “We have done okay there in recent seasons, the results have been impressive but they don’t count for too much tomorrow.

“We are two different teams from earlier in the season. We have a number of new players and are more of a threat now and Port Vale have a new manager in Rob. He has his own ideas on the game that differ from Mickey’s, so it will be a different Port Vale.

“When we have gone there in the past they perhaps have not been in the best of form at home but they have managed to overcome that. It is different now. Their home record is a lot better and they are more confident at home.

“The fans get behind them and it will be up to us to try and silence them with our performance.

He added: “There will be stages in the game when they are on top but we have to remain calm and stand up to that. The most important thing in any game is to be competitive and that is especially true in a derby game.”