Adam Yates eager to regain place in Port Vale team
Last updated on .From the section Football
Full-back Adam Yates is hopeful that his performance in the 1-1 draw at Gillingham on Saturday will be enough to keep him in the Port Vale team.
The 28-year-old replaced Rob Kozluk, who was ill, in the starting line-up.
"I put a couple of good crosses in and not done a lot wrong defensively," Yates told BBC Radio Stoke.
"It's the manager's decision. I'm not one for dragging my feet, I just want to be playing and hopefully I've done enough to stay in the side."
Yates, who has been a regular in the side since his free transfer from Morecambe in 2009, was dropped in favour of new signing Kozluk for the matches against Crewe and Rotherham.
A sickness bug swept through the Vale squad prior to the game on Saturday and affected several first-team players, including Kozluk, and that allowed Yates to make a swift return to first-team action.
"It feels like I've never been away," added Yates. "I know it's only two games but it's a long time to be out of the side for me.
"I don't know any footballer that enjoys being out of the side and I certainly don't.
"I've been working hard in training and doing extra work on my own, hoping to keep my fitness as it was and perhaps sharpen up a little bit."
A disputed twice-taken penalty from Gillingham striker Danny Kedwell cancelled out Marc Richards' first-half opener to leave honours even at the Priestfield Stadium.
