Micky Adams cancels days off to stop Port Vale slump

Adams returned for a second spell as Port Vale manager in May

Manager Micky Adams has punished his Port Vale squad for their poor run of form by cancelling their days off.

Vale have not won any of their last five matches and lost to non-league Grimsby in the FA Cup on Tuesday.

"The good professionals amongst the group will be a little bit aggrieved, but we're all in it together," Adams told BBC Radio Stoke.

"All leave has been cancelled, there's no more days off. It's double-session time every day until we get it right."

Adams added: "I think they're lacking respect for their profession.

"There are too many rumours circulating that too many players are not taking it as professionally as they should in and around the town.

"I need to stamp it out and that's what I'm going to do."

Vale have slipped to 13th in the table after three straight defeats in League Two, having been in the play-off places for much of the opening two months of the season.

Adams, who returned to Vale for a second spell as manager in May, has said he has not thought about leaving the club.

"I'm here for the long haul and whether some people like that or not, I don't know," said the former Sheffield United boss.

"This time last season, everybody was singing my name around the stadium. They're singing it for different reasons now.

"I never got carried away with it when we were top of the league last season and I certainly won't get carried away with it when there's still an awful lot to play for."

Speaking after the 1-0 defeat at Grimsby on Tuesday, striker Tom Pope told BBC Radio Stoke that he thought the squad would be punished if they did not end their winless run against Torquay.

"The gaffer's told us it's going to be like pre-season again if we don't win," said the 26-year-old.

"He's devastated, he's fuming and rightly so. I'm sure it's given the lads a kick up the backside.

"He's told us in no uncertain terms that he needs a win on Friday. If he doesn't get it out of us, then we can forget about our days off."

Added to their poor run of results, Vale have yet to score in the month of November.

Their goal drought has lasted 388 minutes of first-team football, since Marc Richards found the net in a 2-1 defeat at Oxford on 29 October.

BBC Radio Stoke will have full match commentary of Port Vale against Torquay from 1945 GMT on Friday, 25 November.