CROSBY: DEFENDER LEGGE IS PERFECT ROLE MODEL FOR VALE
LEON Legge is a major influence on the Port Vale squad, even when he’s not playing.
That’s the verdict of assistant manager Andy Crosby who is delighted to see the 36-year-old back in action after 10 weeks out with a knee injury.
Legge received the loudest roar of the night when he came on as a 63rd-minute substitute in Vale’s 5-0 win at home to Liverpool under21s in Tuesday’s EFL Trophy group game.
The former captain may have to be patient for a place back in a defence that has helped Vale to 10 wins from the last 12 matches ahead of Saturday’s game at home to Bradford (noon). But Crosby points out Legge has always been an important influence at Vale Park.
He said: “Leon has just been out for 10 weeks and the level of his professionalism in that time has been nothing short of remarkable and a credit to him as a person and a professional footballer. He is a great example to the younger players at this club that what you put in you generally get out.
“He has returned quicker than we all thought. He trained last week and it was important that we rewarded that to get him a little bit of game time. He has been great for this football club and he increases competition for places.”
Legge is competing with Nathan Smith, Dan Jones, Lewis Cass, Aaron Martin and Ryan Johnson for a place in the back three and, says Crosby, will help his fellow defenders in training.
The assistant manager added: “He is a massive example, whether it is from a communication point of view or looking at how he conducts himself. He is the perfect role model.
“He is 36, he has been around for a long time, he knows the game, he knows what he is really good at and he is a fantastic professional for this football club.”
Legge himself thanked supporters for his reception as he came on for the final half hour, saying: “I have been champing at the bit. It was nice to get out there and I appreciate standing ovation I got from the crowd. It was nice, I didn’t want that 30 minutes to end!
“It was just so nice to get out there again and do what I love doing.”
He’ll be hoping to force his way into the reckoning for a first-team place but says there is competition for places all over the pitch. He added: “I wouldn’t want to be the gaffer right now because nearly everyone is back to full fitness so he has a lot of players to pick from. But at the moment the team can’t really change because of the run we are on. “We have a big game ahead on Saturday and that’s what we are looking forward to.”
In the meantime, he is being patient and hoping to play a part in a team that is second in League Two as well as through to the second round of the FA Cup and knockout stages of the Trophy.
He said: “Over the years you get this type of thing where a manager comes in, different players come in and play a certain way and you have to adapt.
“It has been like that at nearly every club I have been at so it is nothing new to me.
“I started the season, got a bit of a freak injury and have been out for three months. So, it is almost like I have to start all over again. It is getting in that mindset.
“This is like a pre-season now for me to try to get back as fit as I can, then have big competition to try to get back in the squad.”
· FORMER Vale player and manager Brian Horton will be signing copies of his book ‘Two Thousand Games‘ in the club shop before (9am until 12 pm) and after the game against Bradford City on Saturday.
He was signed for Vale from Hednesford by Gordon Lee and would spent six years in Vale’s midfield, playing 258 games and scoring 37 goals before going on to play in the top flight with Brighton and Luton.
He managed Hull, Oxford, Manchester City, Huddersfield and Brighton before returning to the Vale in 1999 for another five years. In that time, they won the LDV Vans Trophy in 2001 with a team that included Mark Goodlad, Micky Cummins, Marc Bridge-wilkinson and Steve Brooker.
· VALE’S under-18s are at Salford tonight (7pm) in the second round of the FA Youth Cup.