Port Vale manager reveals reasons for taking duo off in derby game

Port Vale manager Neil Aspin has revealed his thinking behind the substitutions of Tom Conlon and Ricky Miller during the 1-0 win over Crewe.

The Vale manager took the decision to take Conlon off after 66 minutes and says the midfielder was being managed for fitness reasons as he had missed a portion of pre-season due to injury.

Aspin told the media: “I am trying to manage Tom as best I can in terms of how many minutes he has. I didn’t bring him off because of his performance, I just thought with it being a bigger game, with more atmosphere and the adrenaline, it can sap you. I was just a little concerned that he might tire in the last twenty minutes.”

Aspin also took off striker Ricky Miller and he revealed that decision was to prevent the forward picking up a second booking in the heat of the derby match. Aspin added: “We are trying to get them to form a partnership, so the last thing I want, especially with how many games we have over the next month, was to lose him to a red card… It was always a risk I suppose taking anyone off, but it was a calculated risk that I didn’t want him to get sent off.”