TONGE: I WANT TO KEEP PLAYING
HE’S coming to the end of his 18th season as a pro, but Port Vale’s Michael Tonge doesn’t intend to hang up his boots any time soon. The 35-year-old midfielder brought up his 500th career appearance this season against Oldham in the Checkatrade Trophy, and this is just the second time since the 2007-08 season he has made more than 30 league appearances, holding down a spot in the engine room.
The former Sheffield United man is out of contract this summer, but believes there’s still petrol in the tank.
“I have felt a lot fitter this season,” said Tonge. “I’m not necessarily sure why. It may simply be because I’ve played more games.
“It’s been a test on that Port Vale pitch because it’s a big one! But I’m used to that now. I’ve really enjoyed it.
“The older you get, the more you appreciate it and try to enjoy the games you play. Long may it continue.
“I think, at my age, it will be difficult to go up a league but I want to keep playing at League Two level.
Concentrate
“I’ll have a sit down at the end of the season with the manager (Neil Aspin), to see what he thinks.
“I’d love to carry on playing, but I want to concentrate on finishing the season on a high note.”
Vale have limped their the season, sacking Michael Brown in September and slumping to the bottom of the Football League before Aspin, a club favourite, arrived to steady the ship.
Tonge admitted the players had to take a large share of the blame for the departure of his former Sheffield United and Leeds team-mate Brown.
“Unfortunately, as players, we didn’t perform,” he said. “If your players don’t perform, then your manager is under pres- sure and will lose his job. We had enough ability in the team to get better results than we did. I feel we let him down.”
But the experience of working with Aspin has been a plus for the Vale veteran, who hopes he can prolong his time in Staffordshire, having moved there last summer from Stevenage .
“There are some oldschool traits to Neil and I respect that,” added Tonge. “Neil is honest and he expects that honesty back.”