Valiants rise above Pope’s warning

THE FUTURE of crucial players remains in doubt, but the uncertainty isn’t harming Port Vale’s results.

Star striker Tom Pope, quicksilver winger Mark Marshall and canny midfield operator Michael O’Connor are all on deals that expire this summer. Pope — who has scored 10 times this season — explicitly stated the dangers faced by the game of brinkmanship being played out at Vale Park.

“It’s difficult when you’ve got players like Mark Marshall and Michael O’Connor out of contract,” said lifelong Valiants fan Pope (29), who has been offered only reduced terms to stay on.

“You run the risk of losing them for nothing at the end of the season.”

Despite the will-they, won’t-they questions posed on his key performers, manager Rob Page has maintained the sort of continuity Athletic can only dream of.

If, as expected, the former Sheffield United player names an unchanged side tonight, it will be the fourth straight fixture he has been able to field the same XI.

It is a side competent at the back — it is nearly five hours since they conceded a goal — and with a pair of out-and-out wingers in Byron Moore and Marshall, who use every inch of the famed wide pitch at Vale Park to provide ammunition for Pope and Williamson.

It is one thing knowing about the threat of Vale and quite another stopping it. Play-off chasing Doncaster found that to their cost two weeks ago, Paul Dickov’s side falling to a 3-0 loss.