Page: Reliable Yates shows my contract offer was correct

Rob Page says that Adam Yates and Chris Birchall have “vast experience and fantastic characters” and both deserved their summer contract deals.

The decision to hand players such as Yates, Birchall and Ryan Lloyd new deals in the summer provoked some criticism from fans but the Vale manager has justified his decision.

They’re not here for the money. In fact, they’ve taken a pay cut to stay…

Right-back Yates made his first start of the season in the 2-1 win over Barnsley and Page told BBC Radio Stoke:  “I thought he was great – considering he’s not even been in our 18, we put him out on loan to Northampton, he got injured and has come back.

“But credit to the lad – that’s why in the summer I had the opportunity to keep players like Yatesy, knowing I could trust him and he’d go in and do a job. Birchy and Yatesy have got vast experience and fantastic characters.

They’re the sort of characters you want in your dressing room. They’re not here for the money. In fact, they’ve taken a pay cut to stay.”