Aspin not sure how long he will remain as Port Vale boss

Posted Wednesday, January 30, 2019 by PA

Port Vale manager Neil Aspin admitted his future would be decided on Wednesday morning after his side’s 0-0 draw at Newport.

The 10-man Valiants battled hard to earn a point in south Wales which takes them six points clear of the relegation places.

But they now only have one win in their last 12 matches after failing to score against Michael Flynn’s FA Cup heroes.

Vale midfielder Manny Oyeleke tricked his way past three Exiles players before shooting through the legs of Mark O’Brien, but Nick Townsend saved and they scrambled the ball away.

Danny Elliott came on and fired just over three minutes into the second half, while fellow substitute Keanu Marsh-Brown blazed over the Vale goal.

James Gibbons was shown a straight red card with six minutes to go after a studs-up challenge on Dan Butler, and Vale held on for the draw, but it may not be enough to save Aspin’s job.

“I know that things will come to a head,” he said.

“I expect to have a meeting and then afterwards everyone will know where I stand.

“I’ve been asked whether I will be in charge for the next game every week now, I expect to be in the job in the morning but that’s it.

“If it was my last game then I’d rather be remembered for a performance like that, it typifies how I was as a player, you have to battle and scrap, defend long throw-ins and all the rest of it.

“But in the first half we played some really nice football, passed it well and kept possession, the players were excellent and those who performed tonight have not let me down at all the while I’ve been at the club.

“Even though the lads lost on Saturday, they didn’t deserve to, the players have worked exceptionally hard again to earn that point and it should be about them, not about me.”

Newport manager Flynn admitted his side suffered a FA Cup hangover after snatching a draw at Middlesbrough to set up a potential glamour tie with Manchester City.

“I can’t wait to travel to Grimsby this weekend,” said Flynn.

“I couldn’t care less about Manchester City, my thoughts are on Grimsby. I feel we’ve been punished a bit having this game rearranged.

“We looked tired at key moments, the pitch was bobbly and it was difficult at times.

“We got in some good areas but didn’t make the right decisions in some good areas.

“The attackers gave their all and didn’t let me down, as the game wore on and they got tired they made some wrong decisions. Instead of moving the ball we were shooting from 40 yards.

“We’ve had a bit of a wobble, we should be winning this kind of games, over the course of the season we have to keep picking up wins.

“It’s easy to say we need fresh faces, but we possibly do. We huffed and puffed without that final ball.”