WHY ANDY WILL BE HANDY IN VALE’S MISSION TO AVOID DANGER:
PORT Vale manager Darrell Clarke says Andy Crosby’s experience will be important after adding the coach to his staff for the rest of the season.
The former Scunthorpe and Oxford defender has coached Northern Ireland under-21s as well as being assistant manager under Nigel Adkins at Scunthorpe, Southampton, Reading, Sheffield United and Hull City.
Crosby joins Danny Pugh and Billy Paynter in Clarke’s coaching team for the rest of the season and was involved in Tuesday night’s goalless draw at home to Oldham which left Vale six points above the relegation zone.
Clarke said: “Andy Crosby has come in until the end of the season just to work with me. So, listen, I am looking to improve all areas of the pitch but the main thing is we are just focusing on these last 12 games now.
“Yes, there will be work going on in the background for the future but at the end of the day I think we know we are in a dogfight. We are in a dogfight so let’s get enough points to make sure we are safe in League
Two and then the building process will properly start.”
As for Crosby, Clarke added: “He is experienced, he worked for Nigel Adkins for a period of time and he is good to fall back on.
“It is important that Billy has been looking at the first team over the last couple of months because it is important that he gets that focus back of how I want it in the youth team. The links between the youth team and the first team are very important, and that needs to be a lot better. So, that’s why Billy is with me until the end of the season.
“Danny is a great lad but he is an inexperienced coach. That is no disrespect to Danny but that is what he is, he is still learning his trade. “In the situation we are in, Andy coming in is decent for us.” He added: “I said when I came into the building it is an assessment. I sort of knew that there could be something happening on that front, at least until the end of the season. “It is not something I have rushed into. Andy is not somebody I have worked with before to be honest with you. He comes in with experience to help out.”