Brady wants Vale to find and sharpen their 'edge'

New Port Vale manager Jon Brady says the relegation-threatened club need to find their "edge" if they are to have a chance at staying in League One.

Ex-Northampton Town boss Brady, 50, replaced Darren Moore as Vale boss on Tuesday, and has the immediate task of closing a 10-point gap to safety with the club bottom of the table.

The Australian said on his arrival that he was going into the job "with my eyes wide open" aware that Vale have won only four times in 23 games this season.

"I want us to be aggressive. I want us to win more duels and, when we lose the ball, we're back in it quickly - spit-second resets," Brady told BBC Radio Stoke.

"It has to mean everything for these players. They are simple, non-negotiables."

Should Vale end up going down, Brady is equipped with a track record of getting teams promoted out of League Two and establishing them in the third tier - as he did with the Cobblers in 2022-23 until his departure in December 2024.

In the immediate term, though, Brady has a clear idea of what is needed to start improving results.

"We've got find our edge - as a team, as a club and we have to get our edge sharpened," he added.

"I know we can get people onside, but you've got to win football matches. You've got to deliver.

"You can sit here and talk but we've got to deliver and I'm looking forward to getting underway.

"I want to make a change. Darren Moore did an unbelievable getting Port Vale promotion and all I want to do is get us back on track and winning matches."

Since resigning from Northampton, Brady has spent the past year "growing on and off the pitch" through spending three months with Spanish La Liga side Villarreal and taking leadership courses through the League Managers Association.

Brady said his time in Spain was "absolutely incredible" and the LMA had "helped me so much to grow".

"I purposely wanted to take some time out. I didn't want to stand still," he added.

Brady got his first taste of his new club from the stands, where he watched their much-needed 5-1 win over Blackpool on New Year's Day, as his appointment was being finalised.

"I didn't want the spotlight to be on me. It was interesting sitting there," he said.

"I made sure I looked around at the demographic and it was great to see dads with their young sons.

"You want to be really inspiring - inspire that next generation, or any generation - the older, the middle-aged, can we inspire them with the way we play?

"That's one of my goals."

Meanwhile, Vale have confirmed Brady's backroom staff with former Wrexham, Coventry City and MK Dons coach Gary Mills coming in as assistant manager.

Jamie Smith, who stood in temporarily following Moore's departure, will remain at the club lead first-team coach, as will Simon Ireland and goalkeeping coach Gary Walsh.

First-team coach Martin Devaney, though, is leaving.