Assistant manager Neil Baker looks forward to derby with the Vale

Neil Baker says that fixture release day is always an ‘exciting time for everyone involved in football’. Bakes says that the fixtures coming out always brings the new season even closer and the club’s assistant is already looking forward to the derby clash with newly promoted Port Vale.

“It (fixture release day) is an exciting time for anyone involved in football. I love the derby games most, I always have done.

“I sent a text to Mark Grew when Port Vale were promoted to say I look forward to meeting them and I really mean that.” 

The club’s assistant manager also believes that our appearance in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy may have cost us the chance to be even closer to the play-offs last season.

Baker stresses that he would never swap our day at Wembley or another trophy in our cabinet, but says that the occasion and the demanding fixture list afterwards was fundamental in us losing our next four games after the 2-0 win over Southend.

Neil added: “I maintain we might have gone closer if we hadn't won the JP Trophy, I wouldn't swap the day or the trophy because it was fantastic for everyone, but it would have been interesting to see because there was definitely a backlash after the final.

“We lost our next three games. Who knows how we would have done but I felt we could have got closer. This time it will be more difficult I think but that doesn't stop us aiming high, we'd like to make progress and we'd certainly settle for being in and around the play offs.”